Swine flu vaccine starts arriving in Surrey (From Richmond and Twickenham Times)

Swine flu vaccine starts arriving in Surrey

1:50pm Monday 2nd November 2009 in News By Jonathan Portlock

NHS Surrey has confirmed GPs across the county are receiving deliveries of the swine flu vaccine.

The first vaccination clinics are now being arranged and patients in priority groups will be offered the protection of vaccination.

Helen Atkinson, associate director of public health at NHS Surrey, said: “The vaccine is beginning to arrive now in Surrey and once practices have supplies they will arrange vaccination clinics and invite people in the priority groups to get vaccinated. I’d encourage people who are offered the vaccination to get booked in.

“I’d ask people to be patient - vaccinations will take place as quickly as possible and there will be enough for everyone.

“The vaccine will play a vital role in reducing the number of people affected by the virus - if you can’t catch it, you can’t pass it on.

“In particular we know that pregnant women are at higher risk of serious complications from swine flu and the vaccination will help protect them and their family.”

She also said it was important people practised good hand and respiratory hygiene by using disposable tissues when coughing and sneezing and washing hands regularly.

Anyone who thinks they may have contracted swine flu should contact the National Pandemic Flu Service at direct.gov.uk/pandemicflu or call 0800 1513513 for information or 0800 1513100 for treatment.

If you have think you could have swine flu and have chronic lung, kidney or heart disease, are over 65, are pregnant, or if you have a child under-one with symptoms, you should telephone your usual GP service rather than use the National Pandemic Flu Service.

• See our swine flu section for the latest updates