EVEN PEOPLE who already have had swine flu will be offered the pandemic H1N1 vaccine when a mass vaccination programme begins here later this year, it was confirmed yesterday.
Dr Tony Holohan, chief medical officer at the Department of Health, said he would be recommending they get vaccinated in case the viral load they have had was insufficient to offer them full immunity from further infection.
Some 7.7 million doses of the swine flu vaccine have been ordered and healthcare workers and at-risk groups will be among the first to be offered it once it is licenced, which is expected to be some time in October. Dr Holohan, who was addressing the Oireachtas Health Committee, said arrangements are now being finalised to offer the swine flu vaccine to the entire population, except for those under six months of age.
Dr Kevin Kelleher, assistant national director of health protection with the HSE, said the total cost of the national H1N1 vaccination programme was still being worked out. The board of the HSE was told in June it would cost about €80 million alone to purchase the swine flu vaccines.
Meanwhile, several committee members raised questions about the fact that vaccine manufacturers had been given an indemnity by the State against any adverse reactions which might arise in those who were vaccinated. Labour TD Kathleen Lynch said a similar indemnity had been given by the UK and US governments, but in both those countries there were vaccine injury compensation schemes in place, unlike in the Republic.
Brian Mullen of the Department of Health said the indemnity was entered into in the context of planning for an avian flu pandemic. But we now have a milder H1N1 pandemic and he said the Department of Health and the World Health Organisation were confident adverse reactions would be minimal.
