NI gears up for swine flu battle

The government is stockpiling anti-virals

The chief medical officer is to outline later how Northern Ireland will cope with an escalation in swine flu.

Dr Michael McBride said last week that the worst case scenario was 1,800 deaths - a figure he stressed was "not a prediction".

A swine flu vaccination programme is due to begin in September.

The government has advised pregnant women to avoid crowds and unnecessary travel because they have a greater risk of contracting the virus.

Vaccines will be delivered on a phased basis and prioritisation will be necessary.