Canberrans are rushing out to get their swine flu vaccine. It has proven so popular that within three days of it becoming available, five general practices placed second orders and 800 more doses will be delivered early this week.
An ACT Health spokeswoman said 8300 doses of the Panvax H1N1 vaccine had been distributed to 67 sites in the ACT, representing about 77per cent of general practices.
The fact that there was enough demand that some practices had run out and had ordered more indicated a ''satisfactory'' take up rate, she said.
ACT Division of General Practice president Rashmi Sharma reported that nurses at her clinic had given 100 doses in three days. It was ''about what we expected''.
Special at-risk people have been encouraged to seek the vaccine as a matter of priority.
People at risk include those with children younger than six months, elderly people, women who have just had babies and those with chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, obesity or kidney disease.
Such people had ''certainly'' been attending Dr Sharma's practice seeking the vaccine.
Dr Sharma's staff were also ''opportunistically'' vaccinating people, that is, if they came in seeking prescriptions, they would also be offered the swine flu shot.
For more, pick up a copy of today's Canberra Times
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