Tenn., Ind. health workers get early swine flu vaccine
A huge national immunization effort has begun.
WASHINGTON - Doctors, nurses, and other health workers in Indiana and Tennessee were among the first Americans to receive doses of swine flu vaccine yesterday as the federal government launched the most ambitious vaccination effort in U.S. history.
Health-care providers and emergency workers at Wishard Health Services and other hospitals in Indianapolis and at the Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center in Memphis received the Flu Mist nasal spray vaccine at events with local, state, and federal health officials.
The vaccinations mark the start of a national campaign to inoculate at least half the U.S. population - and perhaps the entire country - against the new H1N1 virus that has caused the first influenza pandemic in 41 years.
The federal government has spent $2 billion to purchase about 250 million doses of vaccine and has pledged to buy enough to immunize every American if there is enough demand.
Public opinion surveys, however, indicate that Americans are undecided about the vaccine. A nationally representative survey of more than 1,000 adults released Friday by the Harvard School of Public Health found that only 40 percent were sure they would get the vaccine and only about half were sure to get it for their children.
Most people who get the virus suffer mild illness. But because most people have no immunity against the virus, many more people than usual are expected to become infected, sick or hospitalized or possibly die than during a typical flu season. Children, young adults, and pregnant women are especially at risk.
Those given top priority for the vaccine include health-care workers, pregnant women, adults with health problems such as obesity, asthma, and diabetes, those caring for babies younger than 6 months, and everyone 6 months to 24 years old.
States began ordering vaccine last week, and about seven million doses are expected to be available by the end of this week. About 40 million doses of nasal spray and injectable vaccine will be available by the middle of the month, with another 10 million to 20 million to become available every week after that.
Pennsylvania health officials have said that healthy children ages 5 to 9 will be eligible for the vaccine where swine flu is most active, including the Southeast and Southwest. They should receive a follow-up dose three to four weeks later.
The nasal mist vaccine will be available through schools, doctors' offices, and health clinics that preregistered with the state to give it.
By mid-January, Pennsylvania should receive enough doses to cover teens, young adults, pregnant women, and health care workers, among others.
