GHA Accelerates Vaccination Programme for Children

The GHA announced last Friday that there is now an established swine flu outbreak in Gibraltar. Of all the cases seen in November to date, 58% have occurred in children aged 12 or under.

Three children have recently been admitted to hospital in Gibraltar. Following a review of the current escalation of the outbreak, the GHA advised the Government of Gibraltar that it could accelerate the vaccination programme for children by condensing it into two weeks as opposed to the original three week schedule.. The Government therefore requested the GHA to undertake the accelerated programme. The details of the new schedule are as follows:

(1) During the week from Monday 30th November to Friday 4th December 2009, all children born after 1 January 1999 (that is, any age up to 10 years) will be vaccinated.

(2) During the week from Monday 7th December to Friday 11th December 2009, all children born after 1 January 1991 but before 1 January 1999 (that is, children aged 11 to 18 years) will be vaccinated.

No appointments are necessary and there is no ordering by surnames orbirthdates.

Children (accompanied by parents or guardians) can come at any time according to the days allocated to the published age groups.

As a consequence, the previously published arrangements for children under 18 years are no longer valid and should be ignored.

1184 persons have already been vaccinated as at the 24th November.

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