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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
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| NI children to get swine flu jab | NI children to get swine flu jab |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| The swine flu vaccination programme is to be extended to all children aged between six months and five-years-old in Northern Ireland. | The swine flu vaccination programme is to be extended to all children aged between six months and five-years-old in Northern Ireland. |
| The Department of Health has said it intends to begin rolling out the programme by mid-December. | The Department of Health has said it intends to begin rolling out the programme by mid-December. |
| Meanwhile, the department also said another two people from NI have died after contracting the virus. | Meanwhile, the department also said another two people from NI have died after contracting the virus. |
| Both were said to have underlying health problems. This brings the total number of deaths to 15. | Both were said to have underlying health problems. This brings the total number of deaths to 15. |
| It is possible the programme will be extended to older children in a further phase. | It is possible the programme will be extended to older children in a further phase. |
| The vaccine will be administered to about 100,000 children by GPs. | The vaccine will be administered to about 100,000 children by GPs. |
| Health Minister Michael McGimpsey said young children seemed to be particularly susceptible to the virus. | Health Minister Michael McGimpsey said young children seemed to be particularly susceptible to the virus. |
| Priority | Priority |
| "(They) also have the highest rate of hospitalisation even without any underlying health conditions," he said. | "(They) also have the highest rate of hospitalisation even without any underlying health conditions," he said. |
| "In line with normal arrangements for vaccinating this age group, parents should expect to receive a letter from their GP once the first priority groups have been vaccinated." | "In line with normal arrangements for vaccinating this age group, parents should expect to receive a letter from their GP once the first priority groups have been vaccinated." |
| On Thursday, the minister also said there had been a positive response to vaccination from those people in the at risk groups. | On Thursday, the minister also said there had been a positive response to vaccination from those people in the at risk groups. |
| He said: "So far almost 7,000 pregnant women, more than 2,100 children in special schools with severe learning disability and over 20,000 frontline health workers have been vaccinated." | He said: "So far almost 7,000 pregnant women, more than 2,100 children in special schools with severe learning disability and over 20,000 frontline health workers have been vaccinated." |
| BBC Northern Ireland health correspondent Marie Louise Connolly said: "According to a number of GPs contacted by the BBC, this is a positive move as a high number of patients are young children who through play can easily spread the infection to each other." | BBC Northern Ireland health correspondent Marie Louise Connolly said: "According to a number of GPs contacted by the BBC, this is a positive move as a high number of patients are young children who through play can easily spread the infection to each other." |
| Thirteen of the swine flu deaths occurred in Northern Ireland, while one person died in England and another in Spain. | Thirteen of the swine flu deaths occurred in Northern Ireland, while one person died in England and another in Spain. |