Director of National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases Rear Admiral Dr. Anne Schuchat speaks during a news conference, Nov.6 in Atlanta, Ga.

Atlanta, Ga. – Nov. 6, 2009 – The Director of National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases Rear Admiral Dr. Anne Schuchat spoke minutes ago from CDC Headquarters in Atlanta, Ga. saying that some success has been achieved, “The pace of our progress is picking up. Today we have twice as much vaccine available as we had two weeks ago.”

Schuchat said that flu is much higher than normal for this time of year.  48 states have widespread activity, “Virtually everything we’re seeing is the 2009 H1N1 virus.”

The rates seen this season are much higher than normal said Schuchat, “I want to remind people that flu season can last until May.”  

She said more than half of  hospitalizations seen are under the age of 25 and that, “90 percent of the deaths are people under 65, a flip-flop from what we’ve seen with seasonal flu.”

Pediatric deaths continue to grow, said the director, “This week we’re reporting a total of 129 children have died from the H1N1 virus.” Of those, she pointed out, two thirds of the children have underlying conditions such as neurological problems such as cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy. Asthma continues to account for 1/3 of children’s flu deaths.

38 million doses for ordering by the states with 2/3 being injectible doses and 1/3 in spray form,” said Schuchat.  “If all goes well, we’re expecting about 8 million doses to be available in a week,” and as supplies increase, things should go better however, she said, supply still has not caught up with demand, admitting they still did not have enough vaccine.  States will be determining how to effectively direct those doses, specifically for the key priority groups.

-Vermont Daily News staff report