The FDA has approved the first vaccines to ward off the swine flu, and the doses are being distributed across the country this month. Health experts say one shot could be enough to protect yourself, and if 70-percent of the population gets vaccinated we could control the outbreak.
Matt McIntosh loved playing drums in his band. His older sister Mindy was his biggest fan. "They were just very close. One was always with the other one." This summer, both came down with flu-like symptoms. in 10 days Matt was dead. Mindy died three weeks later. Both had H1N1. "My kids were perfectly healthy. They had no underlying health problems whatsoever."
Cases like this have health officials racing against the clock to protect the public. The government has ordered 195-million doses of the swine flu vaccine. Trials in adults went well … doctors are now testing safety and dosage guidelines in kids. "Quick little stick, all done." "This is a big rush. The epidemic could begin at any time."
How is the vaccine made? Scientists inject a version of the H1N1 virus into millions of eggs. There, the virus multiplies. Researchers inactivate the virus and pull out individual proteins. Those proteins, along with other ingredients, make up the vaccine. "We were almost overwhelmed with the number of people that wanted to help and wanted to be in the trials."
Who should get the shot? Pregnant women, kids from six months to 24 years old and adults who have diabetes, asthma, chronic lung or heart disease. "I think we're doing all we can do given the time constraints we have. It just may not be enough."
There wasn't enough time for the McIntosh's. "You know how people think that can't happen to me. Well, that's what I thought." A mother who hopes her heartbreak … prompts others to protect themselves from the flu.
Experts recommend if you are allergic to eggs, avoid the H1N1 vaccine. So far the shot has been safely tested on 31-hundred healthy adults, 240 pregnant women and 12-hundred kids. Health officials still recommend getting seasonal flu shots as the H1N1 vaccine won't protect against both strains.
