Australia has ordered 21 million does of the flu vaccine for its campiaign

The campaign, begun on Wednesday, is Australia's biggest mass vaccination and comes just a week after China became the first country to start using a vaccine to combat H1N1.

Australia's campaign will start with those most at risk in the pandemic, including health-care workers, pregnant women and the chronically ill.

Nicola Roxon, the country's health minister, said that 5.5 million doses of the vaccine have been delivered across the country, enough to vaccinate about 30 per cent of the population.

"While the new H1N1 virus causes a mild illness in most people, it can have a devastating hard edge," she said.

"It is important that people take this disease seriously and protect themselves and their families by getting vaccinated."

Vaccination fears

Many have expressed concern about the vaccine's safety and the vaccination itself is known to have some minor side effects, including mild nausea.

However, Alan Hampson, chairman of the Influenza Specialist Group, dismissed fears over side effects from the vaccination scheme.

"The fears that have been raised about the vaccine, I think, are quite unfounded," he said from Melbourne.

"Guillain-Barre syndrome has not been seen in any significant way since that time [1976] with influenza vaccines.

"I think people are just causing all sorts of problems to a very valid vaccination programme."

Costly campaign

Roxon also defended the vaccination programme, saying she was "very satisfied ... this vaccine is strong and effective".

"It is far safer to get this than it is to get swine flu," she said.

Children under 10 cannot yet be vaccinated, but paediatric trials of the vaccine continue.

Australia has ordered 21 million does of the flu vaccine from CSL Ltd, a pharmaceutical company.

More than 4,600 Australians have been hospitalised and 172 people have died from H1N1 flu.

Australia's vaccination campaign is estimated to cost the equivalent of $87.95 million.

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