Oct 23, 2009 8:09 am US/Eastern
Students To Get H1N1 Vaccine In Howard County
HOWARD COUNTY, Md. (WJZ) ―
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Some children will get the H1N1 vaccine Friday, and they're the ones who need it the most.
Scott Olson/Getty Images
The flu has taken hold of Maryland and the rest of the country.
Each day new cases of H1N1 emerge. With a shortage of the vaccine, we wait for more doses to come to Maryland.
Mary Bubala reports some children will get the vaccine Friday, and they're the ones who need it the most.
As Americans wait for H1N1 flu shots, a new Purdue University study says by the end of the year, 63 percent of Americans will catch the virus.
The hardest hit will be children. Maryland has already seen several young people, like 18-year-old Walter Brooks, die with flu-related symptoms.
"With seasonal flu, about 60 percent of hospitalizations occur in people 65 and over. Here we're only seeing seven percent of hospitalizations in that age group, just illustrating that this H1N1 virus is disproportionately affecting the young," said a Centers for Disease Control spokesperson.
The Howard County Health Department will distribute 1,300 doses of the H1N1 vaccine at three elementary schools. Each student needs a parent or guardian to sign off to get the vaccine.
"If you answer all the 'no's,' you will get the vaccine. But my daughter has springtime allergies, so I don't know. It depends on if the doctor thinks she's qualified," said Mona Bao, parent.
"My husband is a medical doctor. We've thought about it and done some research on it. And we've decided against getting it," said Amy Brinton, mother of four.
"I think it's an excellent idea. I don't have to take my son. I don't have to look for the flu (shot) some place. He can get it right there at school," said Jodi Svoboda, teacher and mom.
More information about the Howard County flu vaccine clinic at schools.
The delayed delivery of vaccine doses is weighing on health departments. Howard County expected to have 50,000 by the end of October.
"And through no fault of the state or the local governments -- it's completely a vaccine maker's issue -- the distribution has been far, far less. We're now at about 3,500 doses," said Dr. Peter Beilenson, Howard County health officer.
Counties can't order more doses until the ones they have are gone, making shipments unpredictable.
"So we're putting it out the door as soon as we get it or setting up clinics as soon as we get it so that more can come in," said Beilenson.
All counties are scheduling new clinics as they get more shipments. Howard County has an appointment-only clinic next week for caretakers of kids six months and younger.
Baltimore City and Baltimore County have clinics scheduled for Saturday at 10 a.m.
Click here for a complete list of the H1N1 clinics in Maryland.
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