H1N1 Scramble

The Washington Post reports that despite attempts by officials yesterday to explain why so much less H1N1 flu vaccine is available than had been promised, “public anxiety has surged as the swine flu sweeps across the country”, especially as doctors and clinics are being forced to turn people away. “In July, Obama administration officials said companies could make 80 million to 120 million doses by mid-October. They outlined an aggressive response to the pandemic, spending more than $2 billion to buy 250 million doses of vaccine and promising enough to inoculate every American. But only about 16.5 million doses have become available so far, putting the administration in an uncomfortable political position regarding what President Obama declared last week to be a national emergency.”