Austria launches (A)H1N1 vaccination campaign

Shortly after the outbreak of the virus, Austria ordered enough vaccines for the entire population of 8.3 million.

Austria launched a nationwide swine flu vaccination campaign on Monday, a week after reporting its first death from the (A)H1N1 virus.

In Vienna, people queued up from the early morning to get their first shots, although vaccinations were still being done on a voluntary basis.

Until now, inoculations had been reserved for nurses, doctors and hospital staff.

President Heinz Fischer also received a shot on Monday in the presence of photographers.

Shortly after the outbreak of the virus, Austria ordered enough vaccines for the entire population of 8.3 million.

So far, more than 760 people have been infected with the virus, but the figures have jumped in recent weeks.

Last Monday, an 11-year-old Italian girl who had been brought to hospital in the western town of Innsbruck became the first person in Austria to die of swine flu.