Courtesy of the CDC Novel H1N1 (Swine Flu)

The stock of H1N1 vaccine is 75% will be below its estimated value by the end of October. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius stated during Wednesday’s Senate Hearing that initial yields were below expected rates, but now have been corrected. She also blamed new production lines that experienced technical failures on contributing to the shortage, but also assured the Senators that those issues have been corrected. This is concerning since we are seeing a rapid rise in influenza infections across the United States. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitanto said the spike in H1N1 was not a surprised since it was due to a decrease in predicted flu vaccine that is actually available.  Sebelius said that by the middle of November there will be enough vaccines available to whomever want s to get vaccinated.
Last October there was a reported 7 cases reported flu, so far this October there has been more than 5,000 flu cases reported. Out of the 800 deaths associated with H1N1 infection 86 have been children. SEE SLIDE SHOW

90 percent of the hospitalizations and deaths from the 2009 H1N1 flu are in people age 64 and younger.  With seasonal flu, we usually see the reverse – 60 percent of the hospitalizations and 90 percent of deaths from seasonal flu are in people age 65 and older. Flu.gov
“It’s moved with alarming speed and took an exceptionally high toll at a time of year when we don’t encounter a high number of flu cases,” said Lieberman, I-Conn
Lieberman questioned Sebelius on why three antiviral drugs - Tamilflu, Relenza and Peramivir - have not yet been received emergency approval in for intravenous use, even though the administration has known since April that intensive care doctors would need them this fall.

"This will be a life and death decision," Lieberman said.

Sebelius' reply: "Yes, senator, all of that is correct and it is - it is imminent."

The overall theme the panel reiterated was the urgent need to get vaccinated. Despite a study by Purdue University that found it was too late to vaccinate Americans, Sebelius said the need to get vaccinated was the highest priority and that we should see a second peak of H1N1 infections next spring.
More on H1N1 upcoming…