Safety first: Prof Gabriel Leung (right) inspects human swine flu inoculations at a private clinic in Diamond Hill.

The public can get human swine flu vaccinations from more than 900 private doctors from today, bringing the number of designated points for getting the jabs to more than 1,000.

Chronic patients, pregnant women, those aged 65 or above, and children aged six months to less than six years can get inoculated with a Government subsidy of $129 per dose, while they can also choose to receive the vaccine for free at about 200 designated Hospital Authority and Department of Health clinics.

Acting Secretary for Food & Health Prof Gabriel Leung and Centre for Health Protection Controller Dr Thomas Tsang inspected some clinics this morning and said they were pleased with the public reaction to the scheme.

At 1pm today, the subsidy had been applied for in 967 doses administered by private doctors. More than 31,000 people have received the vaccination at Government institutions since the programme launched on December 21.

"According to the scientific reports recognised by the World Health Organisation, the human swine flu vaccine is as safe as the seasonal flu vaccines," Prof Leung said.

"We now have more than 1,000 designated points where the public can get inoculated. We would like to get as many high-risk group people inoculated as possible before the second wave of human swine flu arrives."

Prof Leung said providing the vaccines at designated clinics and health centres is ideal.

"We need trained medical staff to administer the injections, and we have to be careful with vaccine storage. It is most ideal and appropriate to provide the vaccines at clinics with proper facilities," he said.

An expert panel will scrutinise any serious complications from the vaccine.