ATLANTA (AP) — Only
about a third of adults who have tried to get a swine flu vaccine have
been able to get it, according to a new national poll.
That's
true even for people are at extra risk for severe complications and
should be at the front of the line. The numbers are about the same for
parents who tried to get the vaccine for their higher-risk children,
the Harvard School of Public Health poll found.
Swine flu vaccine
has been available in the United States for about a month. But supplies
have been limited because of manufacturing delays. The shots are only
supposed to go to those at high risk of complications.
The
Harvard School of Public Health telephone poll also found that half of
those who tried couldn't find information about where to get the
vaccine. The survey of 1,000 adults was conducted last weekend and the
results released Friday. The margin of error was plus or minus 3.8
percentage points.
Swine flu is widespread in 48 states, officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday.
CDC
officials said 129 children have died from swine flu complications
since the virus was first identified in April. The government does not
keep a close count of all swine flu deaths, but estimates the number is
above 1,000. Many millions of Americans have been infected with the
virus, though most suffered only mild illness, health officials say.
On the Net:
CDC swine flu web site: http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/
Harvard School of Public Health: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu