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Swine flu vaccine programme rolled out
A SWINE flu vaccination programme has begun in Bucks with all pregnant women in the county to be given the jab.
Bucks Primary Care Trust (PCT) began rolling out the programme this week with GP surgeries sent supplies of the vaccination on Monday.
Along with pregnant women, frontline health workers in the county will be offered the jab and those who are currently 'at risk' of seasonal flu and people battling cancer.
Dr Geoff Payne, PCT board member, said: "Frontline staff are at a greater risk of infection because of the nature of their work and their patients will also be more vulnerable to infection due to their underlying conditions.
"We are working hard to encourage frontline staff to receive the vaccine as it will help protect themselves, their families, and patients from the swine flu virus.
"In addition, this is the first pandemic for which we have had vaccine to protect people. I urge everyone in the priority groups to have the vaccine as it will help prevent people in clinical risk groups from getting swine flu and the complications that may arise from it."
The number of new cases of swine flu in the UK has nearly doubled to 53,000 and since its initial outbreak in the summer the UK has seen 128 deaths.
A special information hotline has been set up by Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Mental Health Trust (OBMH) which people can ring to get up to date information about services to deal with the pandemic and will be updated daily.
A OBMH statement said: "In the event of a pandemic, we encourage people to call the flu information line on 01865 738888 to receive up dates on running of services."
For information on the virus and its symptoms call the Swine Flu information line on 0800 1 513 513.
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