Friday
Dec182009
HHS Secretary Says 100 Million Doses Of H1N1 Vaccine Are Coming
By Laura Smith - University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service
The H1N1 flu virus is showing no signs of going away anytime soon, but more doses of the vaccine are being produced.
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced Thursday that 100 million doses of the H1N1 flu virus vaccine will be made available to the American people.
“Our message is take advantage of the increased supply, and get vaccinated as soon as you can,” she said.
"The vaccine was given to the high risk groups first to ensure that the limited vaccine would get to those most in danger of complications, added Sebelius, referring to pregnant women, people with asthma, small children and the elderly.
Sebelius noted that programs such as “Sid the Science Kid” as well as children's television characters like Elmo are teaching kids about how to properly cover a sneeze or cough.
Additionally, social networking websites such as Twitter and Facebook are just a few “unconventional methods” that are helping to get the message out about the vaccine and prevent the spread of the flu, said Sebelius.
“You can’t mount a public response only inside the Beltway. It has to be a collaborative effort with partnerships on the ground, and that’s exactly what this response has been,” she said.
The Secretary urged people to go to www.flu.gov to find out more information about the H1N1 vaccine.
The H1N1 flu virus is showing no signs of going away anytime soon, but more doses of the vaccine are being produced.
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced Thursday that 100 million doses of the H1N1 flu virus vaccine will be made available to the American people.
“Our message is take advantage of the increased supply, and get vaccinated as soon as you can,” she said.
"The vaccine was given to the high risk groups first to ensure that the limited vaccine would get to those most in danger of complications, added Sebelius, referring to pregnant women, people with asthma, small children and the elderly.
Sebelius noted that programs such as “Sid the Science Kid” as well as children's television characters like Elmo are teaching kids about how to properly cover a sneeze or cough.
Additionally, social networking websites such as Twitter and Facebook are just a few “unconventional methods” that are helping to get the message out about the vaccine and prevent the spread of the flu, said Sebelius.
“You can’t mount a public response only inside the Beltway. It has to be a collaborative effort with partnerships on the ground, and that’s exactly what this response has been,” she said.
The Secretary urged people to go to www.flu.gov to find out more information about the H1N1 vaccine.
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H1N1, Laura Smith, Vaccine, children, doses, high risk groups, sebelius, virus in Frontpage 3, News/Commentary
Worst Of H1N1 May Be Over, Says WHO Official
According to Dr. Keiji Fukuda, Special Adviser to the Director-General on Pandemic Influenza, there is still pandemic activity occurring in some locations. Certain areas of the globe, such as West Africa, are experiencing local upsurges in activity due to animal viruses, he said during a conference call on Thursday.
Fukuda said that the H1N1 pandemic has reached a post-peak period, meaning that folks worldwide should anticipate a series of local outbreaks. The current strain of H1N1 has now become the most common virus in the world, and WHO is strongly considering adding it to the general vaccine list next year, said Fukuda, adding that H1N1 has shown amazing stability relative to other viruses.
WHO officials along with groups of advisers and observers will meet next week to decide which strains of H1N1 will be targeted in the next flu season in the Northern Hemisphere. Information will be subsequently shared on WHO's website, www.who.int.