Nursery World - Swine flu jabs for under-fives

Healthy children aged six months to five years are next in line for the swine flu vaccination.

They will be a priority after GPs have finished vaccinating at-riskgroups, including people with asthma, diabetes and heart disease.

The decision to extend the vaccination to young children is supported bythe Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, an advisory panelof experts.

Children under five years old are considered more likely than any othergroup to be hospitalised if they become ill with swine flu. They alsohave high rates of admission to critical care.

Parents will receive letters from their family doctors inviting them tohave their child vaccinated.

Professor Steve Field, chairman of the Royal College of GeneralPractitioners, said, 'I know some parents have concerns aboutimmunisation, but the swine flu vaccine is our most effective protectionagainst the virus. This is obviously a personal choice, but I wouldadvise all parents to take it up. If you are worried, please talk toyour GP and get all the information so you can make an informedchoice.'

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