Swine flu vaccine push

The New South Wales Government has launched a month-long push to get people to vaccinate themselves and their children against swine flu.

The H1N1 vaccine is free for everyone, but New South Wales Health is strongly encouraging parents to vaccinate children under the age of five.


The 0 to 4 age group accounted for a fifth of all swine flu related hospital admissions last year.

H1N1 is expected to remain as the dominant flu strain this season, based on trends in the Northern Hemisphere.

Doctor Jeremy McAnulty from New South Wales Health says lots of people have forgotten about the risks over summer.

"People have not had in their mind preparing for influenza and preventing it for next winter but now is the time to act," he says.

Supplementary clinics will be set up to cope with the anticipated demand over the next month.