Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 78 and 81 together. The incidence of influenza-like illnesses, ILI, reported on 25 October last is at a rate of 210.9 per 100,000 population. This is the highest ILI rate reported since sentinel influenza surveillance began in 2000. There were 2,727 laboratory confirmed cases of H1N1 on that date. It is not necessary for swabs to be taken by GPs to make a clinical diagnosis. The majority of cases are now diagnosed clinically. At 29 October, 492 cases of confirmed pandemic H1N1 2009 had been hospitalised and sadly ten deaths have occurred.

Vaccination is a key strategy being used to mitigate the effects of the pandemic. Every person in the country will be offered the vaccine. However, initially the vaccine is arriving in small quantities due to the demand for the vaccine worldwide. Ireland is not unique in the difficulties we have been experiencing in sourcing the vaccine in the quantities we would require. Obviously, therefore, vaccination will be prioritised to ensure those who require it most will be first to receive it. The national immunisation advisory committee and the pandemic influenza expert group have advised that the vaccine should be given to the population in the following order of priority: people with long term medical conditions aged between six months and 65 years and all pregnant women of more than 14 weeks gestation and for women six weeks post partum, - the "clinically at risk" groups; health care workers; children between six months and 18 years of age; adults over 65 years of age; and the rest of the population.

It is generally agreed that the preferred option for the administration of the pandemic vaccine to people under 65 in the "clinically at risk" groups is through general practice. GPs hold their medical records and are in a position to identify patients with underlying medical conditions for vaccination. It is estimated that there are approximately 410,000 people in this category. GPs have been receiving vaccine over the past two weeks and many patients have already been vaccinated. However, not all GPs are in a position to participate in the vaccination programme and the HSE has set up special vaccination clinics to vaccinate the "clinically at risk" patients of such GPs.

A full list of the locations and opening times of these clinics has been provided via the national and local media and is available on the swine flu website at www.swineflu.ie. I have arranged for a copy of this list to be circulated to Deputies. A typical HSE vaccination clinic will comprise at least one doctor, six nurses and appropriate support staff. It will have the capacity to vaccinate up to 500 people a day, but the numbers vaccinated at the clinics will clearly depend on the demand from the public for the service. Staff being assigned to the vaccination clinics will not be replaced and the vaccination programme will, therefore, mean that some other services have to be delayed or curtailed. The HSE has drawn up plans to prioritise services during the period of the vaccination programme, but the impact on particular services will only become clear as the programme is rolled out. The intention is to start vaccinating other priority groups, like health care workers and children, as soon as possible. However, depending on uptake, vaccine supplies and other factors, it could take from six to eight months to vaccinate the entire population.

The House will appreciate that this pandemic is one of the biggest public health challenges this country has faced. The logistics of undertaking such a mass vaccination programme are challenging. I am confident, however, that the extensive preparation plans which we have in place will assist in meeting this challenge.

See this speech in context