It’s week 41 of the H1N1 (Swine Flu) outbreak. We’re right at the start of the normal flu season. Everyone from Doctors to Drug Stores are providing the regular flu shot to anyone who wants one. But what’s up with the H1N1 vaccine?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, swine flu vaccine supplies will be more scarce than expected throughout the month. This means that 28 to 30 million doses, at most, must be divided around the country, instead of the 40 million-plus that were expected. For those who’ve been waiting anxiously to be vaccinated, this is not very good news. But for many others, this means absolutely nothing!
Fewer than half of the American populace say they plan to receive the H1N1 swine flu vaccine, leaving many health professionals at a loss. “I’m genuinely baffled,” says Dr. Arthur Kellermann of the Emory University School of Medicine. “The public has developed this odd sense of complacency. The only thing that comes to my mind is photos of people standing on the seawall of Galveston hours before the hurricane hit.” But despite the dangers of the H1N1 virus, many Americans simply do not trust the vaccine, believing it was rushed and that not enough is known about it or the virus itself. Nearly a third are worried about side effects. Twenty-eight percent say they don’t believe they are at risk for a serious case of the flu, while another quarter trust they can get needed medication to treat the flu if they do get sick.
So what do you think — are you planning on getting the Swine Flu vaccine?
