According to the New York Times: "Federal health officials are trying to shift supplies of the seasonal flu vaccine away from chain pharmacies and supermarkets to nursing homes, hoping to counter a shortage that threatens to cause a wave of deaths this winter among the nation's most vulnerable population."
"There are many questions here about when or even if the seasonal flu will emerge," says ACSH's Dr. Elizabeth Whelan. "It can get confusing for the lay person. Not only are there two different viruses we're talking about, but the people most severely affected by each virus are different."
ACSH's Dr. Gilbert Ross explains, "There is a predilection for the H1N1 virus to attack younger people and particularly pregnant women, whereas the seasonal flu is notorious for its tendency to hospitalize and kill older people. This is especially threatening to a big group living together in a nursing home. Both viruses take a heavy toll on people with underlying conditions that compromise their immune system."
