CDC puts 5 groups at the top of list for swine flu vaccine

Expert advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention earlier today identified five groups of people who should be the first to get immunized against swine (H1N1) flu when the vaccine becomes available, probably sometime this fall:

• Health care workers and emergency medical responders, because their jobs are critical.
• Pregnant women, children age 6 months to 24 years, and adults age 24 to 64 with chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease, because they face a higher risk of complications.
• People caring for infants under 6 months old, because infants can’t be vaccinated themselves and also face higher risks.

Notably absent from that list: People age 65 and over. Anne Schuchat, M.D., director of the National Center for Immunizations and Respiratory Diseases, said that older people were not included because the evidence now suggests that they are not as vulnerable to the swine flu as they are to regular seasonal flu, or as younger people are to the swine flu.

The CDC estimates that there may be up to 159 million Americans who fit into those five categories. That’s potentially more than the number of vaccine doses that will be available, at least during the first few months. Schuchat said that shortages are unlikely, however, since experience with the seasonal flu vaccine shows that less than half of people who should get vaccinated actually do.

Nevertheless, in case shortages do arise, the advisory committee said vaccination should focus on these groups of people:

1. Pregnant women.
2. People caring for infants.
3. Children ages 6 months through 4 years.
4. Children with chronic medical conditions.
5. Health care workers who have direct contact with patients.

That would reduce the number of people needing to be vaccinated to about 40 million.

The vaccine is still being tested in clinical trials, though Schuchat said it might be made available before the trials are completed, if the medical situation warrants it. When it does become available, it can probably be given at the same time as the regular, seasonal flu vaccine. But Schuchat urged people not to wait to get both at once since the timing and availability is uncertain, and there’s no reason for people to put off getting protection against the seasonal flu.

—Joel Keehn, senior editor

To view the transcript of Wednesday’s meeting, visit the CDC's Web site.

Comments

[SPQR]

Is it not true that during the last "swine flu epidemic" some 30 years ago (which never materialized), more people died from the vaccine than the flu? I have read that this "new improved" version of the vaccine is, in effect, of the same family as the previous vaccine 30 years ago. Some clarification would be most appreciated.
Thank you.

[Gilles Masse]

We are receiving email warning against the A/H1N1 vaccine, like Jane Burgermeister's Charges against WHO and UN for Bioterrorism and Intent to Commit Mass Murder.

What is CU Health.org opinion about those kind of issues?

Thank you.

g.m.

[Priscilla]

We plan on visiting family in Argentina (the #2 country with most reported cases and deaths) but are not sure if we should travel or not because of the pandemic. We have a three month old son. By the travel date, he will be 5 months old; he would actually turn 6 months while on vacation. I know that he can't be vaccinated because he's not old enough. I need to know what the risks are of travelling, and what are the consequences if he gets ill. Thanks!