Asthma and diabetes patients on swine flu vaccine priority list

Those suffering with the more serious conditions will be able to receive the jab from October and they will be closely followed by pregnant women, once it is agreed on the safest pregnancy stage to administer the jab.

In order to meet the requirements for the first wave of the vaccination, people must be aged six months to 65-years-old. All together 9.4 million people will be vaccinated in this initial burst, alongside 2.1 million health and social care workers, who are most likely to be exposed.

After the at-risk groups are all vaccinated the Government will turn its attention to anyone living with parents who have weak immune systems and anyone over 65 who is in the at-risk category.

In Scotland 1.4 million people in total will get the vaccine and in Northern Ireland an estimated 400,000 will get the jab, with no figure decided released for Wales yet.

Chief Medical Officer Sir Liam Donaldson said: ‘We are looking at the prospect of extending the vaccine to healthy groups and the timing of that.’

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