At risk to get free swine flu vaccination 

Protection against swine flu is to be part of next year's seasonal flu vaccination campaign.

Health Minister Tony Ryall says it is also to be made freely available to groups identified as being at risk from the virus.

He says free vaccinations will be able to be accessed by those over 65, but also to pregnant women, the morbidly obese, and young children from at risk areas from March next year.

It is already available free to people over 65 and those aged six months to 64 years with certain health conditions. Other people need to pay to get the vaccination through their doctor.

Ryall says if the swine flu pandemic becomes more severe before the seasonal vaccine becomes available there is a contingency plan to immunise frontline health workers.

The extension will cost around $2 million on top of the usual cost of $14 million per year.

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