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Swine Flu Vaccine for Half the US Population

About half the US population should be vaccinated against the H1N1 virus with pregnant women and health workers the top priority, US officials have said.

Health officials should prepare to vaccinate 160 million people. The vaccination campaign, which will involve two doses of vaccine per person, is due to begin in mid-October.

In the event that not enough vaccine is available, a tighter group of high-risk patients will receive it. This group includes people who care for babies, health workers and children between the age of six months and four years.

"The main message is that it's half the population. And it's the younger half of the population, as well as health care workers," said Kathy Neuzil, of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

Young adults aged 19 to 24, and adults - not old people - who have high-risk medical conditions are among a wider group of those to get priority for vaccinations.

Health workers say that old people seem to have higher levels of natural immunity to the virus.

Finally a break for us old guys.

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