HSE swine flu vaccine appointments booked out for next two weeks

There's been a rush on people getting the swine flu vaccination, as the earliest appointment now available for the injection in the only HSE clinic in Offaly is November 19. Appointments for the swine flu vaccination before that date are all booked out in Riada House on the Arden Road in Tullamore. There were 17 slots available per hour yesterday (Thursday) and today (Friday), however at the time of going to print yesterday, these slots were all full. The next clinic opening hours for swine flu shots are Wednesday November 11, Thursday November 12 and Friday November 13 but these are also all booked out. A total of 124 people were vaccinated yesterday at the HSE clinic. Today, if all appointments are kept, a total of 128 people will be protected against swine flu. Next week, a total of 384 people will be vaccinated over the three days at the clinic. That means, around 636 people will be vaccinated against the swine flu by this date through the HSE clinic alone before November 19. "With regard to booking capabilities, there is scope to increase capacity however this varies per clinic and will be based on demand," said a HSE Dublin Mid-Leinster communications officer yesterday regarding the situation at the Tullamore clinic. There are no figures available for people who have been vaccinated by GPs. The HSE does not have a list of local GPs participating in the vaccination, so it is up to the individual to ring their doctor to see can they receive the vaccine or instead attend the HSE clinic. It's believed that the demand for the HSE clinic is due to reports that many Offaly GPs are not providing the vaccination, or have not received the full amount they ordered. "The HSE is making every effort to deliver the pandemic vaccine to all general practitioners who are participating in the pandemic vaccination programme. The HSE can confirm that a small number of GPs have yet to receive their vaccine but it stressed that additional cold-chain vehicles had been drafted in to assist in the delivery of the vaccines and that every effort was being made to ensure GPs receive vaccine in a planned and sustained way over the coming weeks," said the HSE officer. In recent days the HSE's National Cold Chain Delivery Service has made deliveries to up to 300 GPs on a daily basis. A total of 100,000 vaccines were delivered to GPs this week and an additional 100,000 next week. "If a GP requires an emergency supply of vaccine he/she can contact the HSE's National Immunisation Office who will endeavour to deliver vaccine to them as swiftly as possible," added the HSE officer. The HSE vaccination programme comes as figures show a marked increase in the amount of confirmed cases within the last fortnight. There were 31 new confirmed cases of swine flu in the Midlands area from the period October 18 to 24, a rate of 12.3 people per 100,000 population - the third highest rate out of all eight HSE areas that week. This brought the total number of cases in the Midlands to 85 people, or 33.8 per 100,000 population. However the Midlands region is one of the two lowest activity areas in the country out of eight areas, with a grading of "localised influenza activity" during the second last week of October. The H1N1 vaccine is being first given to those who are most at risk of health complications. These are women who are more than 14 weeks pregnant and up to six weeks after giving birth. It's also available now for anyone aged over six months and under 65, who have longterm illnesses such as lung disease (including Asthma and Cystic Fibrosis), heart disease, kidney disease, liver disease, neurological disease (such as MS, Cerebral Palsy), immunosuppression, haemoglobinopathies, diabetes and morbid obesity. Common side effects of the vaccine will be mild and may include soreness, redness or swelling where the injection was given. Headache, fever, aches and tiredness may also occur for a day or so. Life threatening allergic reactions to the vaccine are very rare.