# 3494
Yesterday comments by the Director-General of the World Health Organization – Margaret Chan – stating that any licensed swine flu vaccine was still `months away’ made headlines in the UK.
The UK government has been promising a `vaccine as early as August’ for a number of weeks, and understandably, Ms. Chan’s comments caused a bit of a stir.
Today, Her Majesty’s Government once again reiterated their position that the vaccine was due to `arrive’ on time.
After that, the statement becomes a bit murky, with less than precise language regarding how much vaccine will be delivered and when, how soon jabs will begin, and how many people will actually receive them in the first few months.
This from the Associated Press.
Swine flu jab 'to arrive on time
The swine flu vaccine should begin arriving at the end of August, the Government has insisted amid fears of a delay before people receive jabs.
The UK is in line to get around 60 million doses of the vaccine - enough to cover half the population - by the end of December, with the rest of the doses following next year.
The first batches are expected in August and the Government has drawn up a priority list of people to receive the jab.
However, there is expected to be some delay between when the manufacturers, Baxter and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), deliver the supplies and people receive their first vaccinations.
I know I’m a cynic, because when I see statements like: `in line to get around 60 million doses of the vaccine - enough to cover half the population - by the end of December’ . . .
I immediately start to wonder . . .
- Exactly what does `in line to get’ really mean?
- How much of this vaccine is expected to be delivered in August and September, before flu season ramps up, and how much will arrive in late December?
- How many people (in targeted groups) can the NHS realistically get vaccinated before the end of the year?
- How long they will need for safety and efficacy testing, and `regulatory purposes’ once they get the vaccine?
I’ve no quibble that many of these questions are probably unanswerable right now. Or that the logistics of delivering a vaccine to 30 million Brits in the middle of a pandemic are formidable.
In fact, my sympathies lie with those who will be on the front lines, and asked to perform this herculean task.
I do wonder over the wisdom of officials appearing to promise too much, right now. That in the interest of placating a worried public today, too many assurances over a vaccine are being made.
While not expressly promised, the intimation here is that by the end of the year (or shortly thereafter), nearly half the population of the UK should have their jabs.
Come December, if it appears that promises made today are failing to come together, the public may not look too kindly at excuses – no matter how valid they might be.
