Mass vaccination of schoolchildren to stop spread of swine flu

Mass swine flu vaccinations are expected to be extended to all children under the age of 18 by the end of the year.
By Ben Leach
The Telegraph
Nov. 02, 2009

The Government has said that it wants to expand the vaccination programme to all vulnerable groups. Department of Health scientists are expected to advise that schoolchildren are targeted by the end of the year.

The proposals come amid growing concern about the number and severity of infections in children. Figures released last week show that children under the age of 15 account for a fifth of all swine flu hospital admissions.

A total of 217 children have been treated in hospital, including 27 who are in critical care. Overall, the number of new cases in England increased by 50 per cent last week to 78,000.

The government’s vaccination programme, which began last month, is targeting 11 million priority patients and front line health workers.

Pregnant women, those with underlying health conditions, such as heart disease, cancer, asthma and diabetes, as well as NHS staff will be the first to be given the jabs.

But it emerged last week that a third of those who have died from swine flu would not have been vaccinated against the pandemic as part of these priority groups.

Last month the joint committee on vaccination and immunisation discussed extending the programme to include under-18s, once the priority cases have been vaccinated.

A spokesman for the Department of Health said: “The vaccination programme is in its early stages, allowing time to plan for which groups will be offered the vaccine next. A decision has not yet been made.”