Mass vaccinations begin

The campaign against swine flu began in earnest in Mullingar on Monday morning at 8.40am, when the first person received their vaccination in the roll-out of the mass vaccination programme.The swine flu clinic was set up in Ward One of the Midland Regional Hospital at Mullingar with official sources describing the uptake as "significant".The first group of people primarily targerted in the first round of free vaccinations were those identified as belonging to at risk categories including pregnant women.The campaign will run into 2010 as the HSE works its way through the various target groups for swine flu vaccination.Everyone will be offered a swine flu vaccine but only those in identified at-risk category should come forward for vaccination now. This is because supplies of vaccine are limited, and it's important that this limited resource goes, in the first instance, to those most at risk from this flu.Over 2,300 participating GPs have been receiving vaccine over the last 10 days and in many cases have already begun offering vaccine to their at-risk patients.Information about the vaccination is available from GPs, www.swineflu.ie, the automated HSE line 1800 94 11 00 or by texting FLU 1800941100.Vaccinationa are first being offered to pregnant women, from 14 weeks pregnant to 6 weeks after giving birth and anyone aged over 6 months and under 65 years who has: long-term lung Disease, like Asthma and Cystic Fibrosis, long-term Heart Disease, long-term Kidney Disease, long-term Liver Disease, Long-term Neurological Disease, like MS, Cerebral Palsy, Immunosuppression cancer treatment and their household contacts, Haemoglobinopathies, Diabetes, Morbid Obesity.People aged 65 and over seem to have some immunity to Swine Flu, so are not in the most At-Risk Group.Public health advice