This Is Guernsey

By Anna Brehaut

SWINE flu vaccines in the island are not licensed to be given to babies.

Guernsey received its first batch of the vaccine earlier this week, but children under six months old will not be able to have the jab.

Deputy medical officer of health, Dr Brian Parkin, said this was because it was a new vaccine.

‘The vaccine has just been approved,’ he said.

‘Nobody wants to be a guinea pig and certainly no parent wants their child to be a guinea pig.

‘Therefore, this makes it difficult to get data about how it could affect them.’

He said it was important to note that young babies had a lot of natural protection from their mothers. They were also less likely to socialise with an infant child.

‘There may be certain circumstances, such as if a baby under six months old had a severe health problem, then it may be something that a parent and a doctor would want to talk about one-to-one.’

Dr Parkin was among the first people to receive the vaccination in the island yesterday.

He said the injection felt like any other.

‘Like all injections, there was a tiny bit of discomfort,’ he said.

A total of 8,600 doses have been sent to the island and will be divided between the three main healthcare surgeries and the Princess Elizabeth Hospital.

Dr Parkin was confident that the island’s services would be able to cope with the demand for people needing to be vaccinated.

‘At the moment we are targeting risk groups of people below 65. These people include pregnant women and those who have other underlying illnesses.

‘This is because experience shows that viruses affect younger people more. Once these people have been vaccinated, then we will concentrate on administering the vaccine to the risk group over 65.’

Guernsey will not be aiming for a 100% vaccination programme, unlike Jersey.

Dr Parkin said this was because there was evidence that the H1N1 strain would be fairly mild in the majority of fit and healthy people.

More doses of the vaccine are expected to be sent to the island next week.

Exactly when they will be sent and how much will be sent is not known. Swine flu vaccinations will be administered in flu clinics, which will be organised by the surgeries.

Anyone who is considered to be at risk will be sent a letter advising them to have the jab and appointments will be made.

Dr Parkin stressed that the vaccines were not a guarantee that someone would not get the virus, but they reduced the chance.

‘It is important everybody practises good hygiene methods, especially when you are in contact with other people and when you eat.’ xx@guernsey-press.com‘Nobody wants to be a guinea pig and certainly no parent wants their child to be a guinea pig’

Dr Brian Parkin

Article posted on 7th November, 2009 - 2.29pm