Fed: Swine flu vaccines to go ahead despite easing threat

AAP General News (Australia)
08-21-2009
Fed: Swine flu vaccines to go ahead despite easing threat

SYDNEY, Aug 21 AAP - Australia's plan to tackle swine flu with vaccinations will go
ahead even though the epidemic may be easing, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says.

Mr Rudd answered a barrage of questions on healthcare reform on Friday from clinicians
at Nepean Hospital in Sydney's west.

A number of doctors told him that surgeons were going for days without any scheduled
elective surgeries because hospital beds were not available for their patients.

After the question and answer session, Mr Rudd was asked about the view of some doctors
that the swine flu outbreak might be diminishing and the vaccination program might not
be necessary.

Mr Rudd said the government relied on the advice of the Chief Medical Officer, Jim
Bishop, in the decision to go ahead with the vaccinations.

"I'm not in the business of indicating what should or should not be done in terms of
the provision and the deployment of vaccines for swine flu," he said.

Mr Rudd said federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon and Mr Bishop were always in discussion
about how to balance the battle against swine flu and the daily needs of hospitals and
their patients.

He was not across those discussions, he said, but he expected Ms Roxon to respond to
any recommendations by Mr Bishop.

"I'm always very determined that we should act on the basis of the best clinical advice
about what's necessary," Mr Rudd said.

AAP vpm/dj/wjf/jl

KEYWORD: FLU RUDD

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