Swine flu vaccinations to start in late October

Swine flu vaccinations are expected to begin in Finland in late October. There will be a delay of a couple of weeks because of new packaging demands by the EU Medicines Agency.
      Different population groups have been prioritised for the vaccines. The list is based on preparation plans drawn up in 2006 for a possible bird flu epidemic.
      Merja Saarinen, a high-ranking official at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, says that the list was drawn up after ethical consideration on priorities in a situation in which not everyone could be vaccinated at one time.
     
The first to be vaccinated would be health care personnel. “In addition to the fact that they are exposed to infection themselves, health care has to operate so that patients can be cared for”, Saarinen says.
      Next come pregnant women, patients aged six months to 64 years with medical conditions putting them in a risk group, healthy children aged 6-35 months, healthy children and young people aged 3-24 years as well as conscripts, and those over 65 who are part of a risk group.
      The aim of the vaccination is to reduce the negative effects of a pandemic on public health, and to save as many years of living as possible.
      Saarinen notes that in connection with the bird flu, the scenario was for a pandemic of a more serious disease. “The ethical principles of the time have been applied to information on what kind of a virus is in question now, and in what population groups it will cause the most serious sickness and death.”
     
Saarinen says that the swine flu has exhibited a strange characteristic, in that only a very small number of patients over the age of 60 have died of the disease. Older generations are believed to have antibodies stemming from previous pandemics.
      Although the groups slated to get the vaccine have been placed in a ranking order, some groups can be vaccinated at the same time.
      “It doesn’t mean that we’ll be waiting for that last pregnant woman to show up before vaccinating anyone else. The vaccines will be used as they become available.”
     
The H1N1 vaccine should come to Finland steadily over a period of five months. The priority list that was drawn up will be applied with some flexibility.
      Before mass vaccinations of the whole population start, the situation is to be re-assessed. At that point there will be more knowledge about the possible side-effects of the vaccine, once it has been administered to millions of people around the world.
      Finland is to get 5.3 million doses. Taking a vaccination will be voluntary. The current wisdom is that one vaccination will suffice, at least for healthy adults.
     
Thus far 244 persons have been recorded as having contracted H1N1, but the figures should be treated with considerable caution, since the bulk of those who have gone down with swine flu symptoms have not been tested, and hence the real number is probably several times greater.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  First swine flu shots may be given in early October (11.9.2009)
  Health officials say WHO pandemic pronouncement does not alter Finland´s preparations for swine flu (12.6.2009)
  Swine flu may cause decreased intensive care availability (2.9.2009)

Links:
  Ministry of Social Affairs and Health press release 28.8.2009: No influenza epidemic in Finland yet - the instructions are updated