Barack, Michelle Obama get vaccinated against swine flu

Washington, Dec 22 : US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle have got vaccinated for the A/H1N1 virus.

"People need to understand that this vaccine is safe," Obama was quoted as saying on the official White House website.

"Michelle and I just got the shots ourselves... we wanted to make sure nationwide that children were getting it before adults did. And now there's enough vaccine so that adults should get it as well."

The US president said children must be a priority for getting A/H1N1 shots and his two daughters got vaccinated in October.

"I think people just need to understand: If I had the two people that are most important in my life, my two daughters, get it right away - and they've been just fine with it and in fact haven't gotten sick this entire flu season - then you need to know that you need to make sure your children get it as well," he added.

Last week the World Health Organization said on its website that as of Dec 13, at least 10,582 people throughout the world had died of swine flu, with about a thousand passing away during the previous week.

However, every year, up to 500,000 people die from seasonal flu.

--IANS