People advised to take swine flu inoculation

People who have already had swine flu need not take the jab against the virus, health care director general Ray Busuttil said yesterday. But they are practically the only group exempt from the need to get vaccinated. Anyone whose influenza-like illness was not confirmed in the laboratory is still being encouraged to be inoculated, just in case he or she is not suffering from H1N1.

Although the vaccine is not compulsory, the authorities are strongly urging everyone else to get it too. "We encourage and advise people to take it," Dr Busuttil said.

Just over 700 people have tested positive for the virus since swine flu was identified in Malta last June. However, this is considered to be the tip of the iceberg since not everyone is being swabbed.

Around 100,000 doses of GlaxoSmithKline's H1N1 vaccine Pandremix are expected to arrive in Malta next week and healthcare workers and vulnerable groups will start being jabbed on January 2.

A second batch of vaccines is expected in the first quarter of the year to cover the rest of the population, including children between six months and nine years of age and those over 60 who will need two doses. Dr Busuttil said everyone should be vaccinated by March.

Pandemics do not follow the patterns of seasonal influenza, which tend to hit in colder weather, and in fact swine flu started in Malta in summer. "That is why we advocate that everyone takes the vaccine, even in February or March, because we don't know what will happen. Who is to tell us there won't be another wave after that?" he said.

There is also the risk that the influenza becomes more virulent, making the protection offered by the vaccine even more important.

The authorities are also changing their approach from Monday, when vulnerable people with flu-like symptoms will be treated with the antiviral drug Tamiflu without the need of laboratory tests. Until now, people are first swabbed and are given Tamiflu if laboratory tests confirm they have swine flu. During a press conference on Tuesday, the authorities highlighted the difference between Tamiflu and the vaccine, adding that a number of people were getting them mixed up. While Tamiflu is a treatment for influenza, the swine flu vaccine is given to healthy individuals to protect them from the disease.

The vulnerable groups include pregnant women, children under five and patients with chronic heart, lungs, liver or kidney disease and diabetes. But even healthy people suffering from influenza who start showing signs of complications will be given Tamiflu. Antivirals help reduce viral shedding, shorten the period of illness, reduce the severity of symptoms and could lead to a reduction in complications.

Dr Busuttil said while people were well aware of the presence of swine flu, they did not seem very worried about it, always presuming that the disease was mild. But although many of the cases were indeed mild, three people, including a young woman, have died in Malta and 92 were admitted to hospital because of swine flu.

"That's why we keep telling people to take preventive measures," he said.