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Should my baby have the swine flu vaccine?.
A
According to the Department
of Health there are a number of priority groups that should have the swine flu
vaccine. These groups were decided by the Department of Health accepting advice
from independent expert committees, including the Joint Committee for Vaccination
and Immunisation (JCVI) and the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE),
These groups have been identified
because they are at highest risk of severe illness should they contract the
swine flu virus.
- individuals aged six
months and up to 65 years in the current seasonal flu vaccine clinical at-risk
groups
- all pregnant women, subject
to licensing considerations on trimesters
- Immuno-compromised individuals
(a suppressed immune system), due to disease or treatment.
- people aged 65 and over
in the current seasonal flu vaccine clinical at-risk groups
The current seasonal flu
vaccine at-risk groups are people with:
- chronic respiratory disease,
such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma
- chronic heart disease,
such as heart failure,
- chronic kidney disease,
such as kidney failure,
- chronic liver disease,
such as chronic hepatitis,
- chronic neurological
disease, such as Parkinson's disease,
- diabetes requiring insulin
or oral hypoglycaemic drugs, and
- Immunosuppression (a
suppressed immune system), due to disease or treatment.
So if your child is in
the high risk group as listed above then yes, your child should have the swine
flu vaccine. Further guidance as to other groups that may need to be vaccinated
will be made available as it comes through
health visitor
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