Hopefully, by now you have had your regular seasonal flu shot. On October 5, the first doses of the H1N1 vaccine were administered. Dr. Charles Miramonti, an emergency room physician in Indianapolis, was the first to receive the FluMist vaccine. Other healthcare workers in Indianapolis and Tennessee that work directly with patients received their vaccine today, as well.
Initial shipments are small at this time; therefore, most of it is being given to healthcare workers who are exposed to persons with flu-like symptoms. Mid-October is when the vaccines are scheduled to start rolling out. There have been no red flags showing up in the several thousand volunteers who have been tested.
As stated in the past, ones to receive the vaccine are:
- pregnant women,
- young people, age 6 months to 24 years old,
- persons under age 64 with risks of complications from influenza,
- healthcare workers,
- caregivers of newborns.
It is up to each state health department to determine how many doses will go to their local doctors, clinics, schools and drugstores. Within a few weeks, there will be enough for everyone.
Until it is available in your area, be patient, and do everything you can to avoid sick people, stay out of crowds if possible, and keep washing your hands.
Source: AP