In the United States thousands of volunteers of all ages are being sought to test the first swine flu shots due to begin trials in August and if there are no immediate safety concerns, such as allergic reactions, testing will begin in children as young as 6 months - this could mean that by October a swine flu vaccine could be offered to millions of Americans but the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases says it will be a close race.

Australian vaccine maker CSL has already begun trials of its swine-flu vaccination in Adelaide with 240 healthy adults and says if directed by the Government, distribution can begin before the trials are completed.

The Health Minister, Nicola Roxon, says she is expecting the number of swine flu cases to peak in August and as soon she has advice that the vaccine is safe and effective, it will be rolled out to the community.

CSL says it is monitoring the global trends of the swine flu virus so it can adapt the vaccine if required.

The death toll worldwide from swine flu is around 700 and in the UK 31 - in Australia more than 10,000 have been infected and there have been more than 40 deaths.