Published Wednesday, 21 October 2009
By the end of the week, the vaccine will be offered to around 2,500 pupils in over 20 special schools for severe learning disability across the region.
Health Minister Michael McGimpsey said: "After discussions with the Chief Medical Officer, I have decided that we must ensure children in special schools for severe learning disability are prioritised as a matter of urgency.
"Arrangements will be made to vaccinate these children starting tomorrow and Friday. Other children with special needs and underlying physical health conditions who are not in special schools for children with severe learning disability will quickly be identified and offered vaccine by their GPs."
The minister launched the vaccination programme on Wednesday and his key message was "protect yourself, protect those at risk".
Around 80,000 doses have been delivered so far but more will arrive in the region imminently.
Frontline Health and Social Care staff, pregnant women and patients in at risk groups in hospitals were the first in line for the vaccine.
The minister said an estimated 490,000 vaccines will be available for all the initial priority groups.
It is expected that this process will be completed by December.
"We still do not know how this pandemic will evolve, we could see further waves over the next year and they could be more severe. The vaccine is the best way to protect the most vulnerable people in our society and I would encourage everyone to get it when it is offered, the minister added.
Breedagh Hughes from the Royal College of midwives told UTV she had advised their members to get the vaccine.
"We have advised our members throughout the four countries of the UK recognising that front line health care staff must be available to look after people who we expect to get swine flu over the next few weeks and months that they are in the high priorty group," she said.
"We have encouraged them to take the vaccine to protect themselves, and the women and the babies they will be caring for," she added.
Doctor George O'Neil who practices in Belfast said the vaccine is similar to the annual flu vaccine.
"It cannot give you the virus, what is injected into you is protein which stimulates your body to build up antibodies to destroy the virus should you be exposed to it," he said.
Five people have died in Northern Ireland so far after contracting swine flu.
Londonderry teenager Orla O'Kane, 14, who had cerebral palsy, died last week.
Earlier this month a 12-year-old boy with underlying health problems died in the Ulster Hospital at Dundonald on the eastern outskirts of Belfast - less than 48 hours after it was announced a toddler under the age of three died in the South East.