Top economies, Mexico discuss who should get swine flu vaccines first

Top economies discuss use of swine flu vaccines

BRUSSELS — The world’s seven largest economies and Mexico agreed Friday that the first doses of swine flu vaccinations should be given to pregnant women, health workers and those with risky health conditions.

EU Health Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou said all countries at the Group of Seven talks “remain vigilant” to stop the spread of the virus as the fall and winter flu season approaches in the northern hemisphere.

Vassiliou, the chairman of the one-day meet at European Union headquarters, said the H1N1 strain has become the world’s “dominant influenza virus.”

Swine flu vaccines are currently being developed and could be available soon.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said people facing high risk for serious complications from swine flu include pregnant women, children younger than 5, and people with certain chronic conditions like asthma and heart disease.

Top health officials from Mexico and the G-7 nations — Canada, the United States, Japan, Germany, France, Italy and Britain — attended the meeting. Representatives of Sweden, which holds the rotating EU presidency, and Spain, which will next, also were there.