GPs will lead UK’s swine flu vaccination campaign

The government is planning a large scale but non-compulsory campaign of vaccination against the A/H1N1 virus.

The news comes as the virus continues to spread around the country and as confirmation came that the first health professional, a Bedfordshire GP, had died from the infection.

Michael Day died on Saturday 11 July at the Luton and Dunstable Hospital. A swab test confirmed that Dr Day had the virus, but the cause of his death is still unknown. An apparently healthy 6 year old girl also died last week.

The World Health Organization’s latest update on Monday 6 July gave worldwide figures of 94 512 confirmed cases and 429 deaths.⇓

As the BMJ went to press on Tuesday 14 July the United Kingdom had 9718 confirmed cases and 17 deaths, the Department of Health said. However, the actual total, including unconfirmed cases, is thought to be considerably higher.

The department has confirmed that it is considering a large scale vaccination programme against the virus later in the year, which would be the biggest such …