There is currently a serious question about the swine flu vaccine availability coming into the fall and winter of 2009.  It appears some families will be denied flu shots – perhaps even yours.  As you will see, this is a serious matter.

Swine flu (H1N1) is not the same virus as the normal seasonal flu.  The H1N1 virus is a much more dangerous strain of flu.  While it first appeared in the spring of 2009 and appears to have died out, past history suggests it may resurface in the fall and winter in much greater strength.  Why is this of such grave concern?

As of September 6, 2009, as I was preparing this article, the US Center for Disease Control was not yet able to announce when the vaccine would be made available to the public.  When it is finally introduced, however, experts have extimated it will become the costliest inoculation program in the history of public health.  Just in the United States alone, the extimated cost will approach, or exceeed, ten billion dollars!

Is that kind of cost justified?  When you keep in mind that economic times are tough,  you have to figure the U.S. government would not dole out 10 billion dollars on a vaccine program without a very real concern that things could turn bad very quickly with this pathogen.  

We are now being told that approximately 1/3 of the world’s population may contract the H1N1 virus in the next 12 months if they do not receive vaccine.  It is this figure that has US officials concerned, and, despite the cost, makes the inoculation program all but certain in the United States.

Due to swine flu vaccine availability being limited, however, only certain portions of the population may be treated.  Despite the fact most people want to be vaccinated, many, including your family, may not be permitted a place in line.

Why do we say swine flu vaccine availability will be limited?  Instead of the expected delivery in October 2009 of an initial 120 million doses to inoculate the U.S. population, vaccine manufacturers say they will be able to come up with only 45 million doses.

This means that tens of millions of Americans will be left vulnerable in the event that the virus finds a way to turn more deadly – something that influenza is known to have done in past pandemics.