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Athletes and spectators will be encouraged to get vaccinated against the H1N1 flu before travelling to next year's Winter Olympics in Vancouver, an official has said.

The hundreds of volunteers and staff scheduled to work during the February Games are also being urged to get vaccinated as part of Canada's national immunization effort, which began this week.

An estimated 5,500 athletes and team officials are scheduled to be in Vancouver next year for the 17 days of competitions and they will be joined by thousands of media and spectators from around the world.

Health and Olympic officials are preparing instructions for athletes and visitors on how to deal with the pandemic strain of the flu, according to Dr. Jack Taunton, chief medical officer of the Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC).

"We would certainly encouraging all travellers coming to the Games in Vancouver to get H1N1 vaccinations as soon as it is available, but particularly 14 days in advance of coming here," Taunton said.

The 14 days time span ensures the vaccine's protections against the virus are fully active in the body.

Vaccinations are not mandatory in Canada, but Taunton was scheduled to get his own shot on Wednesday. Ottawa plans to have enough vaccine to allow all of Canada's more than 33 million people to each get a flu shot.

At least one, unnamed, Olympic team has said its athletes will not be able to obtain vaccines in advance of the Games so steps are being made to make shots available for them after they arrive, Taunton said.

Vaccine manufacturers have also assured organizers that the treatments will not cause athletes to fail any Olympic drug tests, he said.

Canada's will also experience its normal seasonal flu during the winter so athletes and visitors should also look at getting vaccinated against that regular flu virus, according to Taunton.

Eurosport