Britons with the highest risk of catching swine flu should receive vaccinations by mid-December, the government said Thursday as the numbers catching the illness rose.
Health workers, pregnant women and people suffering from cancer, diabetes, heart disease and asthma are first in line for the injections.
Ian Dalton, the national director for flu resilience, said all family doctors in England should have their first box of 500 doses within the next four weeks.
The Health Protection Agency said there were an estimated 78,000 new cases of swine flu in England in the past week — up from 53,000 the previous week, but still below the 100,000 peak in July.
The number of deaths in Britain now stands at 137, while there are 751 people in hospital with the virus, of which 157 are in intensive care.
"We are seeing a level of activity in the community which has not yet reached anywhere near the levels we were seeing in July," said Liam Donaldson, the government's chief medical officer.
"But we are seeing a level of activity of serious illness in hospitals which has easily surpassed the level we saw in July."
Swine flu has affected several English football clubs this week.
Players were warned on Tuesday spitting could increase the risk of catching swine flu as Bolton Wanderers joined English Premier League rivals Blackburn Rovers in saying squad members had contracted the virus.
The Lancashire local rivals were without several players for their midweek League Cup matches.
Championship club Queens Park Rangers confirmed Thursday that three of their players and their physio have been hit by swine flu.
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