H1N1 vaccine: Who gets first priority?

October 7, 12:09 PMFresno Parenting ExaminerStacey Anderson

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 According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), there are five target groups that are recommended first priority for the vaccine: pregnant women, people who live with or care for babies under 6 months old, children 6 months to 24 years old and 25 to 64 year olds who have chronic health conditions such as diabetes, asthma, or chronic heart or lung disease. The H1N1 flu virus is targeting young healthy children unlike the seasonal flu where the elderly are affected the hardest.

About 45 million doses of the H1N1 vaccine will be available around Oct. 15, with 20 million doses coming off the production line each week after that though December, according to Tom Skinner, spokesman for the CDC in Atlanta. "We hope at some point to have enough vaccine for everybody who wants to get vaccinated," Skinner said. "This campaign is going to have to progress over time as vaccine becomes available." Health officials think two separate doses, about three weeks apart, will be needed.

The first shipment of vaccines should be arriving soon. The public needs to decide if the H1N1 vaccine is right for them or if taking precautionary day to day measures is enough to ward off the virus. To find out possible vaccination risks, check out, ‘ H1N1 vaccine:  Is the vaccine safe or is there a risk?'.  
 

For more information:

Swine flu prevention 101: Are you in the H1N1 'at risk' group?

World Health Organization