Media release form the Asthma Foundation

The Asthma Foundation strongly recommends that people with asthma and other respiratory illnesses are immunised with the combined swine flu/seasonal flu vaccine, now available through GP's surgeries. Influenza vaccination is one of the few preventive measures known to save lives in people with chronic lung diseases.

Although last year's swine flu epidemic was not as bad as many people had feared, it still caused many thousands of deaths worldwide and at least 20 people in New Zealand died from it. Many of these people had underlying health problems - including asthma and other respiratory conditions - but most of them had been living full and active lives.

Contrary to what some people believe, you cannot get 'flu from an influenza vaccination. Far more likely is that people catch an ordinary cold around the same time - influenza vaccination is given in autumn when colds are increasing and sometimes the vaccine gets the blame.

People who already had the swine 'flu vaccine earlier this year are advised to get the seasonal vaccine as well. The special swine 'flu vaccine was released early to cover the possibility that a second swine 'flu epidemic would come earlier than the usual seasonal 'flu. It does not cover seasonal 'flu strains, so it is important to get vaccinated against them as well.