With the H1N1 flu outbreak sweeping across the country, health officials warn of a troubling number of child deaths and state that a vaccine delay will hamper containment efforts for at least a few more of weeks.
The delay in production means that about 28 million to 30 million doses of the vaccine will be split up around the U.S. by the end of October. That’s a far cry from the 40 million-plus that had been expected. The new count from the CDC means that mane flu-shot clinics will likely need to be delayed.
It also postpones efforts to slow an increasing number of infections. Overall, the H1N1 flu is causing widespread disease in 41 states. Currently, around 6 percent of all trips to the doctor are for flu-like symptoms. Those levels usually aren’t observed until much later in the fall season.
Officials revealed on Friday that 11 more children have died in the past week due to the rampant virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that roughly half of the child deaths since September have been teenagers.
Deaths from flu-like illnesses have surpassed what CDC considers an epidemic level.
Luckily, most flu victims recover from the new strain fairly easily and in their own homes.
States have tallied more than 2,000 deaths from flu-like illnesses to the CDC since August 30. Those deaths have reached the benchmark level that is used annually to declare an influenza epidemic…months early.
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- US swine flu vaccines ‘delayed’ (news.bbc.co.uk)
- First doses of H1N1 flu vaccine going out (cnn.com)
- Pandemic Payoff from 1918: A Weaker H1N1 Flu Today (scientificamerican.com)
- Supplies of Regular Flu Vaccine Run Short in Places (nytimes.com)
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