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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
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| NI children to get swine flu jab | NI children to get swine flu jab |
| (about 2 hours 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." |
| Vaccine availability | |
| This second phase of vaccinations is expected to begin in early to mid-December once all of those who were initially deemed to be at risk have been vaccinated. | |
| About 139,000 doses of Tamiflu have been distributed to GPs in Northern Ireland by the Department of Health. | |
| To date between 40,000 and 45,000 doses have been sent out each week, on Thursday the department said that from next week they will be able to ship 80,000 doses per week. | |
| Parents will be contacted by their GP's surgery once the vaccine is available to them and it is anticipated that all children aged six months to five years can be vaccinated within a three to four week period. | |
| 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. |