Anyone in Bahrain can now get the H1N1 swine flu vaccine, it has been declared.

It will no longer by mandatory for the recipient to be suffering from a chronic medical condition or be at increased risk to be eligible for the shot, said Health Ministry head of disease control Dr Muna Al Mousawi.

The announcement comes as health officials have started the process of vaccinating around 10,000 schoolchildren in the next few weeks.

A campaign to vaccinate them has already begun yesterday with some of the private schools that are now open, said Dr Al Mousawi.

'The vaccination drive will gather pace in the next few weeks and we anticipate many more to be vaccinated in the first 10 days of the New Year,' she said.

Meanwhile, Dr Al Mousawi said that anyone who wants a vaccination could visit their respective health centre, produce their CPR card and get the shot.

'All of Bahrain's health centres are administering the vaccination during morning and evening opening hours,' she said.

The vaccinations were earlier given to only those with compromised medical conditions because they were at increased risk of getting the swine flu.

We now have more supplies and are not holding back any more,' said Dr Al Mousawi.

She said another reason for the vaccination becoming 'open' was the end of the Hajj season.

'We had anticipated all pilgrims would be given the vaccination, but that did not happen so we are now giving it to anyone who desires to have it,' said Dr Al Mousawi.

Earlier, only those suffering from diabetes, sickle cell disease, cardiac conditions and obesity as well as pregnant woman were given the vaccinations.

More than a million doses of the vaccine will ultimately be available in Bahrain, ministry sources said earlier.-TradeArabia News Service