Kathleen Sebelius: Vaccination Is the Best Defense Against H1N1
Oct. 7, 2009— -- As hospitals and clinics begin administrating doses of H1N1 flu vaccine to children, some parents and even doctors are unsure whether the dosage will have any effect -- fears that health officials say are unfounded.
"The vaccination is being made exactly the same way seasonal flu vaccine has been made year in and year out," Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said on "Good Morning America" Tuesday. "We have the right vaccine for this virus. We have years of clinical data for seasonal flu vaccine. ... It's the best defense against the flu."
The administration has attempted to alleviate fears by enlisting "Sesame Street" character Elmo to demonstrate how to sneeze properly and to educate children -- one of the groups most at risk -- about the H1N1 flu.
Have concerns about the H1N1 vaccine and your children? CLICK HERE and "GMA" might ask medical experts to answer your question.
Children started receiving doses of the H1N1 flu vaccine Tuesday in what is likely to be the largest flu-vaccination campaign in U.S. history.
The other group most at risk is pregnant women. Sebelius encouraged pregnant women to get the vaccination to protect themselves and their babies.
"Vaccination is the best defense against a disease like this," the former Kansas governor told "GMA's" Robin Roberts. "We would like people to take this seriously. ... We are hoping that people take advantage of the fact that the vaccine is going to be available. It's going to be easy; we know its safe."
The H1N1 vaccine is different from the regular seasonal flu vaccine, and officials are encouraging Americans to get both to keep themselves fully protected. Sebelius encouraged people to get the vaccine not just for themselves but to keep others protected as well.
"I hear that all the time, 'This is just the flu.' Just the flu kills people," she said. "We now have over 600 deaths reported. Taking the chance that you or your roommate or your child may be one of those rare but serious cases may have underlying impact may expose someone else."
Shipments of the vaccine, which were initially expected to start rolling in on Oct. 15, began arriving early in 14 states. Health officials Tuesday said 2.2 million vaccine doses -- more than 90 percent of the 2.4 million doses available -- were ordered for all states. The total cost, officials estimate, will likely top $2 billion.
These early doses of swine flu vaccine -- so far all given as the nasal spray FluMist -- have been administered at hospitals in Chicago, Georgia and Nebraska, among other places.
Doctors, nurses and other health professionals received the vaccine first Monday so they could safely care for others.
Sebelius said more are on the way.
"We are going to continue to push it out as fast as we can from the production line," she said, encouraging people to get the latest information on vaccinations at flu.gov.
ABC News senior health and medical editor Dr. Richard Besser said Tuesday that about 20 million doses every week will start arriving within the next few weeks.
