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| Swine flu vaccination under way | Swine flu vaccination under way |
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| The first vaccinations in the UK-wide programme aimed at combating the spread of swine flu are to take place later. | The first vaccinations in the UK-wide programme aimed at combating the spread of swine flu are to take place later. |
| Seriously ill hospital patients and the health staff caring for them will be the first of 14m people in the "priority group" to be given the jab. | Seriously ill hospital patients and the health staff caring for them will be the first of 14m people in the "priority group" to be given the jab. |
| From next week GPs will begin inviting people with health problems, damaged immune systems and pregnant women to come forward for immunisation. | From next week GPs will begin inviting people with health problems, damaged immune systems and pregnant women to come forward for immunisation. |
| Medical chiefs urged everyone in the priority group to have the vaccine. | Medical chiefs urged everyone in the priority group to have the vaccine. |
| The government has yet to decide whether the rest of population will be immunised, although enough doses have been ordered. | The government has yet to decide whether the rest of population will be immunised, although enough doses have been ordered. |
| So far just over 100 people with swine flu have died in the UK out of the 500,000 who have been infected. | So far just over 100 people with swine flu have died in the UK out of the 500,000 who have been infected. |
| The spread of the virus peaked during the summer but in recent weeks the number of cases has started climbing again. | The spread of the virus peaked during the summer but in recent weeks the number of cases has started climbing again. |
| Sir Liam Donaldson, the government's chief medical officer, said the vaccination programme was starting just in time. | Sir Liam Donaldson, the government's chief medical officer, said the vaccination programme was starting just in time. |
| This is the first pandemic for which we have had vaccine to protect people. I urge everyone in the priority groups to have the vaccine Sir Liam Donaldson, chief medical officer Q&A: Flu vaccination programme | |
| "This is the first pandemic for which we have had vaccine to protect people. I urge everyone in the priority groups to have the vaccine," he said. | "This is the first pandemic for which we have had vaccine to protect people. I urge everyone in the priority groups to have the vaccine," he said. |
| Sir Liam said the vaccine had been produced more quickly than usual, but denied it had been rushed, and stressed it was safe. | Sir Liam said the vaccine had been produced more quickly than usual, but denied it had been rushed, and stressed it was safe. |
| He said extensive pre-testing on a prototype had enabled manufacturers to produce the vaccine speedily once samples of HIN1 - the swine flu virus - had become available. | |
| He also stressed it was essential for NHS and social care staff to come forward. | He also stressed it was essential for NHS and social care staff to come forward. |
| Uptake-up of the seasonal flu jab among such workers in England has been low traditionally - often below 20%. | Uptake-up of the seasonal flu jab among such workers in England has been low traditionally - often below 20%. |
| Sir Liam said: "It will help prevent them and their families getting the virus from patients, it will stop them passing the virus on to their patients, it will potentially protect them from mutated strains and it will reduce the disruption to NHS services caused by people being absent due to illness." | Sir Liam said: "It will help prevent them and their families getting the virus from patients, it will stop them passing the virus on to their patients, it will potentially protect them from mutated strains and it will reduce the disruption to NHS services caused by people being absent due to illness." |
| His comments were echoed by Dr Peter Carter, chief executive of the Royal College of Nursing. | His comments were echoed by Dr Peter Carter, chief executive of the Royal College of Nursing. |
| He told BBC Radio 5 live: "It's important for them to keep well so that they are available to care for patients in the normal run of things, but if the pandemic really takes off we are going to need those nurses on the wards to help to cope with the influx of those that are seriously ill." | He told BBC Radio 5 live: "It's important for them to keep well so that they are available to care for patients in the normal run of things, but if the pandemic really takes off we are going to need those nurses on the wards to help to cope with the influx of those that are seriously ill." |
| Logistical challenge | Logistical challenge |
| The vaccination programme represents a huge logistical challenge for the health service and is likely to take at least two months to complete. | The vaccination programme represents a huge logistical challenge for the health service and is likely to take at least two months to complete. |
| It is being run at the same time as the seasonal flu campaign and has forced many GP surgeries to take on extra staff to cope with the workload. | It is being run at the same time as the seasonal flu campaign and has forced many GP surgeries to take on extra staff to cope with the workload. |
| But Professor Steve Field, president of the Royal College of GPs, said despite the scale of the programme, doctors were ready to immunise the priority groups. | But Professor Steve Field, president of the Royal College of GPs, said despite the scale of the programme, doctors were ready to immunise the priority groups. |
| "We have been planning for this for a while and everything is in place. We will be contacting patients in the coming weeks and they should wait for that." | "We have been planning for this for a while and everything is in place. We will be contacting patients in the coming weeks and they should wait for that." |
| There are two vaccines which will be used - one manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline and the other by Baxter. | There are two vaccines which will be used - one manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline and the other by Baxter. |
| The GSK one will be offered to most patients, while the Baxter vaccine is being generally reserved for people with egg allergies as the GSK jab was made using chicken eggs. | The GSK one will be offered to most patients, while the Baxter vaccine is being generally reserved for people with egg allergies as the GSK jab was made using chicken eggs. |
| Most patients will require only one dose of the vaccine, although children and those receiving the Baxter version will need two doses, three weeks apart. | Most patients will require only one dose of the vaccine, although children and those receiving the Baxter version will need two doses, three weeks apart. |
| Under the system drawn up for GPs by the government, the priority groups have been ordered into four groups. | Under the system drawn up for GPs by the government, the priority groups have been ordered into four groups. |
| The under-65s with health problems and damaged immune systems, such as chemotherapy patients, will get the vaccine first. | The under-65s with health problems and damaged immune systems, such as chemotherapy patients, will get the vaccine first. |
| They will be followed by pregnant women, then people who live with individuals who have compromised immune systems and, finally, those over 65 with health problems. | They will be followed by pregnant women, then people who live with individuals who have compromised immune systems and, finally, those over 65 with health problems. |
| Will you be receiving the swine flu vaccine? Or will someone in your family? Send us your comments. | Will you be receiving the swine flu vaccine? Or will someone in your family? Send us your comments. |
| The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions | The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions |