Swine Flu Vaccine Hits New York
First round is not for everyone
By HASANI GITTENS
Updated 9:07 AM EDT, Tue, Oct 6, 2009
The first round of the H1N1 vaccine arrives in New York City today, but is only safe for people between the ages of 2 and 49 who are healthy and not pregnant -- because it contains the live Swine Flu virus.
The some 68,000 doses now here are in the form of a nasal spray, which should save parents a lot of tears and drama.
A next round of vaccines which should arrive in the next few weeks will be safe for everyone, but will be only available as injections.
All New York City schools are planning a mass swine flu vaccination campaign over the next several months -- and it's free, but parents have the choice to opt out.
New Jersey and Connecticut are also getting their first doses of the vaccine this week, and while doctors say the sooner people get vaccinated, the sooner they'll be protected, they are urging patience.
"The first few weeks there will be less and it may be harder to find, but there will be an ample supply for everyone," said Dr. Jane Zucker, with the NYC Health Dept.
First Published: Oct 6, 2009 6:16 AM EDT
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