While concern over the H1N1 pandemic flu floods the media, the vaccine supply is coming in at a relative trickle. Over the weekend, President Barack Obama declared the H1N1 pandemic a national emergency. And this morning Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius made the rounds on network news programs to try and reassure the public that vaccine is on the way.
There’s no need to panic about the emergency proclamation, which Obama signed Friday night and the White House released Saturday. It’s just meant to help health institutions more easily get waivers of federal rules so that they can cope with the large numbers of patients expected as H1N1 spreads. For instance, hospitals could set up additional emergency rooms.
Meanwhile the most reliable thing we can do to keep from becoming one of those H1N1 patients – getting vaccinated – is proving tough. There are now about 16.5 million doses of vaccine available, millions below what is needed, according to news reports. But Sebelius said those numbers are continuing to increase, and urged people looking for an H1N1 flu shot to keep trying.
The vaccine delays are being blamed on delays in the manufacturing process, including the fact that vaccine is growing more slowly in egg-based cultures than manufacturers had expected. On Friday, the number of confirmed deaths due to H1N1 topped 1,000, and Sebelius continued to stress the importance of vaccination – especially for pregnant women and children.
Learn more about H1N1 from the Department of Health and Human Services …
Tags: H1N1