Flu vaccine is here but island still waiting for swine flu jab

VACCINE for seasonal flu is on its way - but there is still no sign of one for swine flu.

Fifteen thousand doses of a 2009 vaccine for seasonal influenza will be available at the beginning of October.

The Health and Social Services Department is still awaiting delivery of the H1N1 vaccine to combat the effects of swine flu.

Director of public health Dr Stephen Bridgman said groups considered high risk would be informed by their GPs when it arrived.

'It is important to note that the so-called swine flu is not covered in the seasonal flu vaccine,' said Dr Bridgman.

He said cases of swine flu in Guernsey had peaked in mid-July at 170 per week.

That is now down to 20 per week but they are expecting an increase over the winter.

'When people are indoors the numbers are likely to go up because people are coughing and sneezing,' he said.

He said that, unlike the seasonal flu vaccine, over-65s were not considered high risk for the H1N1 strain.

'Evidence suggests that older people have more of a natural immunity to the strain,' said Dr Bridgman.