(HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius: ‘Definitely is a safe vaccine. TODAY’s Meredith Vieira talks to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius about how the U.S. is preparing for the seasonal flu and the H1N1 virus.)
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(Drive-thru H1N1 Flu vaccine shots are being offered nationwide.)
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Sebelius: Americans must get swine flu shot
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius appealed anew Wednesday for widespread inoculation against a surging swine flu threat, calling the vaccine "safe and secure."
Sebelius unconditionally vouched for the safety of the vaccine, saying it "has been made exactly the same way seasonal vaccine has been made, year in and year out."
Appearing on morning news shows to step up the Obama administration's campaign for vaccinations, Sebelius said that "the adverse effects are minimal. ... We know it's safe and secure. ... This is definitely is a safe vaccine for people to get."
Sebelius was asked on CNN about surveys showing many parents were wary of getting their children vaccinated for fear the vaccine has been too hastily prepared and wasn't safe. She replied that it was targeted specifically at the H1N1 virus and was "right on target with an immune response."
The HHS secretary appeared as new cases of the flu, particularly among younger people, have been appearing recently. Some 600 people have died so far from the flu in this country, and the government has targeted roughly 90,000 sites to receive the swine flu vaccine by the end of this month.
"This flu is a younger person's flu," Sebelius said on NBC's "Today" show. "Kids have no immunity to the flu ... children are great carriers of bugs and viruses."
Because of the danger of easy transmission, especially in school and day-care settings, Sebelius said, "We strongly urge parents to take precautionary steps. Flu kills every year ... and we've got a great vaccine to deal with it."
"There's going to be plenty of vaccine," the secretary said. "It's rolling off the production lines right now ... ahead of schedule, and that's good news... By the end of October we should have a substantial amount available and begin to vaccinate a wider population of folks."
Said Sebelius: "There's no question the disease is out there, which is why today we're rolling out PSAs (public service announcements) ... to make sure people take steps to help prevent the spread of the disease, and in the meantime we will push the vaccine out as quickly as we get it off the production lines."
Appearing on CBS's "The Early Show," she said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the President's Advisory Committee on Immunizations have identified five target populations: pregnant women, health care workers, children with underlying health conditions ages 6 months to 24 years, older Americans with underlying health conditions.
"That's a lot of people," Sebelius said. "That's about half the population."
"By the end of this week," she added,"we'll begin to have injectable vaccine also available. We're dealing with five production companies. That's very good news. But the vaccine will become available as the lines clear up. So as soon as we have any vaccine available, we're pushing it out to 90,000 sites around the country. The early going is a little bumpy but we'll have a good supply by October."
Charlotte-Mecklenburg County gets shipment of swine flu vaccine
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg County Health Department on Tuesday received its first shipment of a nasal spray vaccine for the H1N1 flu, but it's too early to know when it will be available to the general public.
Health Department Director Wynn Mabry said the office now has 3,600 doses of the FluMist vaccine with more - including an injection form - expected to arrive in the future.
The health department requested 160,000 vaccine doses.
N.C. officials said Tuesday they ordered 52,000 vaccine doses last week, which will be sent to 102 providers statewide, including counties and hospital systems.
Mabry told county commissioners the health department is reaching out to other medical providers to learn how much of the vaccine is available in the community and how the doses will be distributed.
The nasal spray is recommended for healthy people between the ages of 2 and 49. Pregnant women and those with chronic medical conditions would need the injected vaccine.
Among those to be first in line for the nasal spray, Mabry said, are medical personnel and some child-care providers under 50. He also said the health department wants to be able to serve clients of the federal program that serves low-income women and children.
Mabry said he doesn't know yet when the health department will be able to offer the vaccine to the broader public. He encouraged people to contact their doctors to see whether they have the vaccine. It also may be available to pharmacies in the future.
The county also is working with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and private schools to offer vaccinations to students once more doses arrive.
People with questions about the vaccine can call 311
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Sources: MSNBC, US Dept of HHS, CNN, CDC, AP, McClatchy Newspapers, Charlotte Observer, Google Maps
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