Swine flu vaccination begins in the Czech Republic

Doctors across the Czech Republic began to vaccinate nationwide against swine flu on Monday. The government has around 95,000 doses of vaccine earmarked for doctors to use on high risk and priority groups such as the chronically sick and health workers. The State Institute for Drug Control said on Monday that a single dose of the vaccine could also be given to children over 10.

Chief hygiene officer Michael Vít has said the virus has changed little since April so the vaccine has a high chance of being effective. Some doctors have called for the government to give additional legal safeguards that they will not be liable for prosecution if patients suffer severe side effects from the vaccine.

Swine flu is believed to have claimed its fourth victim in the Czech Republic on Sunday. Around 1.0 million Czechs should be vaccinated against swine flu with around 2.5 million receiving the flu anti-virus.