AAP

Qld vaccinates 200,000 for swine flu

By Petrina Berry, AAP October 29, 2009, 5:55 pm

Queensland has vaccinated 200,000 people against the human swine flu within a month of its release.

Helping Queensland reach the milestone were Queensland Health director-general Michael Reid and chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young, who both received shots on Thursday.

"This is a very good result to get 200,000 in such a short time," Mr Reid told reporters in Brisbane.

"Many of those are being done in the private sector through a GP."

He said health workers and many people in the vulnerable Aboriginal communities were taking up the vaccine.

Dr Young said sporadic cases of swine flu could occur this summer because of the northern hemisphere's severe winter flu season.

President Barack Obama has declared swine flu a national emergency with the USA reporting millions of cases of infection and more than 1,000 deaths.

Dr Young said what's happening in the northern hemisphere gave Australians more reason to receive their free shot ahead of next year's flu season.

"I'm recommending people go ahead and get their vaccine now because we are not sure when the flu season will start next year but we suspect it will start a lot earlier than normal," Dr Young said.

"It could be just as bad (as this year's) or worst if people don't get vaccinated."

She said authorities were still assessing what dosage was suitable for children under 10 but believes the vaccine would be available to them next month.

Anyone travelling to the northern hemisphere is being advised to receive a swine flu shot.

Queensland has seen 41 people with swine flu die.

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