Riverside County To Get Injectable Vaccine Amid Shortage Fears

PALM SPRINGS – News Channel 3 learned Monday that the injectible form of the H1N1 vaccine should start arriving in Riverside County sometime this week.

Health officials say when it does get here, they will look at medical groups that have the highest priority for the shots.

President Obama declared the outbreak of the H1N1 Swine Flu virus a national emergency over the weekend. The White House calls this move pro-active, and it’s designed to give hospitals flexibility to handle a surge in patients.

“This declaration really changes the playing fields for hospitals,” says ABC Senior Health Editor Richard Besser.”They’ve been doing planning for disasters. Now they can implement those plans. “

Forty-six states are reportingH1N1 as widespread: more than a thousand deaths and 20-thousand hospitalizations have been confirmed. Doctors expect these numbers to increase.

“It’s spreading throughout the country and we’ll continue to see it active throughout the fall season,” says Dr. William Schaffner of Vanderbilt University.

Also increasing is demand for the vaccine. Top priority still goes to the young, pregnant women, and those with pre- existing medical conditions. People say they’ll stand in line for hours, if it means getting protection for themselves, and their children.

“I had H1N1,” says one woman who brought her kids for the vaccine. “And for about two and a half weeks I was sick, very sick and I just don’t want them to get it.”

“Oh, absolutely, absolutely, not, not only for me but for the baby,” says another mother.

People wanting to be inoculated and the President’s emergency declaration isn’t speeding up the production of the swine flu vaccine which is far behind schedule, and short of demand.

The government insists everyone who wants it, will eventually be inoculated. More vaccine is expected to be delivered in November and December.