Declan's Story

He’d stopped breathing. Declan never regained consciousness and was pronounced ‘dead on arrival’ when arriving at the hospital.  The only symptom he had developed was a runny nose. Much later, an autopsy report confirmed that Declan died from Bronchial Pneumonia caused by Swine Flu (H1N1). He was just seventy-seven days old.

Definition: Swine Flu (H1N1) is one of many strains of influenza caused by an Influenza virus.

Symptoms: Fatigue, fever, runny nose, sore throat and may also include headache, cough, body aches, diarrhoea and shortness of breath in severe cases.

Prevention: In Australia vaccination is recommended annually for all those 6 months of age and older. The virus changes each year. New vaccinations are made available to prevent the most common strains. Those particularly vulnerable to the influenza are young babies and children, pregnant women, those susceptible because of a medical condition and older Australians.

Access: Vaccination is available through GPs, Aboriginal Medical Services, pharmacies, community health centres and immunisation clinics. Vaccination is free for those eligible through the National Immunisation Program (NIP).

Influenza is a vaccine preventable disease.