THE first 50,000 doses of influenza A/H1N1 vaccine have arrived and, according to Minister of Health, Jerry Narace, decision-makers will be among the first people to get inoculated.

’During the first stage, vaccines will be administered to healthcare workers and national security workers, including workers at ports, the airport, army, police, fire and prisons and essential decision-makers,’ Narace said yesterday while addressing an audience at the formal opening ceremony of the newly-decorated Children’s Clinic at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex in Mount Hope.

’These groups do not have to visit health clinics for the vaccine. Ministry of Health staff will be sent to these locations to administer the vaccine.’

Distribution of the vaccines, which was officially cleared at 11.15 a.m. yesterday, will start tomorrow so that administration can start vaccinating people on Monday.

’This marks phase one of vaccine administration, as we expect to be receiving more vaccines in the days and weeks ahead,’ Narace said.

During the second stage, the minister said vaccines will be administered to pregnant women in their third trimester and children two to five years of age.

’Again, these persons do not have to go into the health care clinics just for the sole purpose of getting the vaccine. They will receive the vaccines when they visit their health care providers at their next scheduled visit,’ he said.

During the third stage, however, Narace said vaccines will be administered to other high-risk groups, including people with chronic respiratory conditions, chronic non-communicable diseases and immune system conditions, during their scheduled visits at the health care facilities.

’The Ministry of Health has already notified local medical bodies of these distribution plans. Arrangements are in place for vaccines to be distributed to both public and private health care providers based on need, so that they can administer them to their pregnant and paediatric clients, as well as their patients in the high-risk groups,’ he said.

As for the country’s health needs during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) next week, he said ’all systems are in place to cater for the health needs of the population and visitors’.

’Our entire national health system is on emergency alert pre-CHOGM and on maximum alert on actual CHOGM days. Routine medical services will continue as normal during CHOGM. Both the public and private health facilities will be utilised to respond to medical emergencies,’ he said.