EFN

The H1N1 a.k.a. swine flu, has been effecting pregnant women more so than other population, therefore they are expected to be among the first group advised to get a new H1N1 flu shot this fall.

At a meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, they had surmised that five population groups could be given priority: pregnant women, caregivers for children under six months old; health-care workers and emergency services personnel; youth from six months old to 18 years old; and adults with certain medical conditions.

Vaccinating those five groups could mean giving doses of the vaccine to a total of 135 million people.

Pregnant women are at exceptional risk from the new strain, and immunizing them protects their newborn baby, too, Dr. Anthony Fiore of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told a meeting of vaccine advisers to his agency.

Eleven (32%) of the 34 pregnant women with swine flu were admitted to hospital. This is four times the admission rate compared to the general population at the time. Eleven of those were hospitalized for two to 15 days. Between April 15 and June 16, six of the 45 deaths attributed to swine flu, 13 percent, were pregnant women.

The H1N1 virus spreads in the same way normal seasonal flu viruses spread, primarily through the coughs and sneezes of those who are sick with the virus; however it also could be spread by touching infected objects, then touching the nose or mouth, according to the US Centers for Disease Control.

H1N1 virus is spreading fast around the world, and the health community fully anticipate a resurgence in the U.S. come fall. U.S. officials said they are hoping to have 120 million doses of a vaccine for the H1N1 flu ready in October, should the government give the go-head for a mass immunization campaign.