One of the Australia’s leading infectious disease experts, Professor Robert Booy, of the Westmead Children’s Hospital, has cautioned the country about the likelihood of a ‘serious’ second wave of swine flu in autumn and winter this year.

Drawing attention to the Australians’ apparent slowness in taking up the vaccination, Professor Booy said that the merely 10-20 percent immunization statistics are clearly indicate a pathetic protection scenario in case a second wave of the disease hits hard.

Partly blaming the skeptical medical experts for the dismal immunization data, Booy reiterated that a second wave of the epidemic can be prevented if people vaccinate themselves against the virus. He said: “Never before have we been in this position where we had a highly effective and safe vaccine so that we could intervene and stop that second wave.”

Booy further said that the highest risk of swine flu is faced by schools and kindergartens, and, as such, recommended that vaccination should be administered to the school-going children at the earliest. In addition, among the others who face high risk are people who have pre-existing medical conditions.

Referring to the World Health Organization (WHO)’s statement about swine flu returning with the winter cold across the Northern Hemisphere and claiming thousands of lives, Booy added that Australians “still can make a difference.”