Which groups are at greatest risk?
Some people are more at risk than others of serious illness if they catch swine flu. They will need to start taking antivirals as soon as they are confirmed with the illness. On occasion, doctors may advise some high risk patients to take antivirals before they have symptoms if someone close to them has swine flu.
The risk profile of the virus is still being studied but it is already known that certain groups of people are particularly vulnerable. These include:
- Patients who have had drug treatment for asthma in the past three years
- Pregnant women
- People aged 65 years and older
- Children under five years old
- People with chronic lung disease
- People with chronic heart disease
- People with chronic kidney disease
- People with chronic liver disease
- People with chronic neurological disease
- People with immunosuppression (whether caused by disease or treatment)
- People with diabetes mellitus
Why are healthy people over 65 and children not a priority for the swine flu vaccine?
Healthy people aged over 65 appear to have some natural immunity to the swine flu virus. And while children are disproportionately affected by swine flu, the vast majority make a full recovery - therefore the experts do not advise that children (other than those in at-risk groups) should be vaccinated initially.
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