Oct 1, 2009 7:26 am US/Eastern
Swine Flu Vaccine Coming – But How Much?
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
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Vials of H1N1 vaccine by manufacturer CSL are displayed near its production line in Melbourne, Australia on September 24, 2009.
WILLIAM WEST/AFP/Getty Images
Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island are all expecting their first shipments of the swine flu vaccine next week.
But how much will they get?
MASSACHUSETTS
The initial shipment to Massachusetts is small -- up to 50,000 doses of vaccine meant for health care workers -- but additional batches should continue arriving weekly through the flu season.
Gov. Deval Patrick said the state should have enough vaccine in about six to eight weeks to begin making it available to the public.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
New Hampshire health officials say the first doses of the H1N1 vaccine could arrive in the state as early as next week.
The first batch of the vaccine will be in the form of a nasal mist. New Hampshire expects to get 7,700 doses.
Anyone not in a high-risk group will have to wait longer for more vaccines to arrive. Health workers said November could be a possibility.
RHODE ISLAND
Rhode Island health officials began placing orders for swine flu vaccine from the federal government Wednesday and said they were anxiously awaiting word back on how much they will receive and when.
Annemarie Beardsworth, spokeswoman for the R.I. Department of Health, said health officials can't make final plans to distribute and administer doses until they find out how much vaccine is coming, what kind is coming and when it will arrive.
"We don't know, are we going to be getting 500 doses or 5,000 doses? Obviously, that number determines how we proceed with our plans," she said.
Beardsworth said health officials hoped to know more details at the beginning of next week, although even that was not definite.
WHO GETS VACCINATED FIRST?
Health officials said those at greatest risk for the flu should get vaccinated first including children age 6 months to 24 years, individuals who care for children under the age of 6 months, pregnant women and people with chronic health conditions such as asthma or diabetes.
Read:
Swine Flu Resources
"This fall is the first time in memory that people will be at risk of two different strains of flu in the same flu season," said Mass. Department of Public Health Commissioner John Auerbach.
According to a recent
Consumer Reports survey, 43-percent of Americans are undecided about getting the H1N1 vaccine.
(© 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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