Australia - Vax Could Begin in Weeks

indigo girl · Aug 19, 2009

http://afludiary.blogspot.com/2009/08/australia-vax-could-begin-in-weeks.html

it will be instuctive to see how well they manage to do this with their priority groups. and, of course all will be watching for any sign of adverse reactions.

according to news reports this morning, australia is poised to be the first country to begin massive pandemic h1n1 vaccinations...potentially within the next 3 weeks.
two million doses of vaccine are scheduled to be delivered next week, and the decision to dispense awaits a final determination by the country's top medical officials that it is safe and effective.
no doubt other nations with plans to vaccinate later this fall - such as the us, canada, and the uk - will be watching with great interest to see how this vaccination program works out, and whether any excess adverse side effects are noted.
for now pregnant women, health care workers, and those with medical conditions that put them at higher risk will be vaccinated.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25954329-662,00.html

federal health authorities are still awaiting safety data from vaccine manufacturer csl before approving the massive vaccination program, which will be closely watched overseas.
it is believed the government is not fully satisfied with initial information provided by the company.
csl spokeswoman rachel david said the vaccine was almost identical to its seasonal flu formulation, and trials had revealed no unanticipated side effects.
"we have given the government an initial safety update on the swine flu trials, which confirms there are no untoward or unexpected issues with adverse events," she said.