The first doses of swine flu vaccinations are expected to arrive in Eretz Yisrael in the coming days. Health officials believe vaccinations will be available by month’s end, with the first recipients being members of the medical community, following chronically ill and high-risk cases in the 3-65 age category. This will include but is not limited to those with depressed immune systems, such as patients on chemotherapy, as well as patients with chronic pulmonary and cardiac conditions. The number of injections to reach the therapeutic effect will depend on an age category and patient condition.

The first 350,000 doses [of 2.3 million ordered] are expected to arrive in the next two weeks, with a similar number expected in November, followed by over 1.1 million doses in December.

Officials report the situation in Israel is good, at least relative to other countries, as we are in the midst of a heat-wave and to date, there have not been any signs of winter. As such, there is hope to inoculate people against regular and swine flu ahead of the first wave of flu victims.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)