Obama officials say H1N1 vaccine coming after slow start
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Top officials in the Obama administration said today that the production of vaccine to fight the H1N1 flu outbreak was slow to start, but they added that efforts had increased and the United States was moving to bridge supply and demand.
“We know that people are frustrated by the inability to get vaccine right now,’ Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said in a televised briefing. ‘We know that people are frustrated by waiting in line and by uncertainty.”
In recent days, images of long lines of those waiting for the vaccine have appeared throughout the country, and officials have questioned why there has not been enough of the vaccine available to ease the crunch.
“Production started more slowly than anyone would have liked,” Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said.
“I can assure you that our scientists, doctors and manufacturing partners are working round the clock to try and fill the gap as quickly as possible. The gap between vaccine supply and demand is closing every day,” she said.
Sebelius described the H1N1, or swine flu, outbreak as widespread, hitting almost all of the states. More than 1,000 people have reportedly died from the illness, according to federal officials.
There are 23.2 million doses of vaccine available, Sebelius said, with more being produced every day.
—Michael Muskal
