More than 100 million doses will be available as of Friday. At least 24 states have lifted restrictions and opened up distribution to everyone.
Available doses of the vaccine against pandemic H1N1 influenza will top 100 million in the United States by today, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said Thursday.
The vaccine has become sufficiently plentiful, prompting at least 24 states and some other communities to lift restrictions and open distribution to everyone. And some pharmacies are starting to get the vaccine for general distribution. Earlier, supplies had been targeted at those most at risk, including children and pregnant women.
Health officials’ biggest fear now is that, with the perception that the pandemic is waning, many people will decide they don’t need the vaccine.
Sebelius, who got her shot Wednesday, urged everyone to get vaccinated.
“We have a wonderful window of opportunity to prevent or lessen a third wave,” she said at a news conference. In the 1957 Asian flu pandemic, she noted, the fall outbreak tailed off only to be followed by another wave of disease after the first of the year, perhaps triggered in part by holiday travel.
The first wave of swine flu began in April, when the strain was discovered. A larger wave started in late summer. Through mid-November, about one in six Americans caught H1N1, and about 10,000 have died, according to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The strain has been especially virulent in children and young adults.
