The H1N1 flu vaccine is now plentiful enough in almost half of the states that it is no longer reserved for those in high-risk groups only. Health officials are concerned that a decrease in the number of infections across the nation will make people feel that being vaccinated is unnecessary.
"The worry is that with all this supply being available, people will be complacent and think they don't need it," says ACSH's Dr. Elizabeth Whelan. "Still, it's a matter of covering the odds, and it's effortless to get the vaccine."
"We should also keep in mind that in the most recent pandemics in 1918, 1957, and 1968, there was a late-winter/spring wave of infections after the original fall wave," says ACSH's Dr. Gilbert Ross, "so the H1N1 flu while on the wane at this time has probably not vanished completely, and everyone should get the H1N1 vaccine as well as the seasonal flu vaccine. The bottom line is that both flu vaccines are safe, and even if a major recurrence of flu doesn't happen, there's still a danger of illness and death from the disease."
