Healthy children to receive swine flu jab
Updated on 19 November 2009
The swine flu vaccination programme is to be extended to healthy children aged between six months and five years old, under new plans announced today.
Currently people in priority groups, which includes young children with asthma or diabetes, are being vaccinated.
But the programme will now be extended to children with no underlying health issues, aged over six months and under five.
The policy was officially confirmed by the Scottish Government today ahead of a similar announcement in England, expected later.
Scottish Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said: "I am able to announce today that the next group in the population that will be vaccinated, or offered vaccination, is children aged over six months and under five years."
NHS figures show that children under 16 are the age group most likely to be admitted to hospital with swine flu, and 21 per cent of deaths in England are among under-14s
