As Maryland enters flu season, state officials reported the first lab-confirmed case of swine flu, a Baltimore are adult with the H1N1 strain who is recovering at a hospital.
As noted in today's article about flu season, public health officials say there is plenty of vaccine to go around -- unlike last year, when the H1N1 flu pandemic triggered a scramble for vaccine. And that's important because for the first time the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone 6 months and older get a flu vaccination — not just vulnerable groups.
The H1N1 flu killed about 12,000 Americans and sickened millions last season. Maryland reported 45 lab-confirmed deaths, including five children, though many cases were not confirmed. The pandemic was officially declared over in August after a nationwide vaccination campaign.
This year, the H1N1 strain is included with two other seasonal strains into one vaccine so adults need only one dose, though some children younger than 9 still need a booster. Last year, the government commissioned and bought a separate H1N1 vaccine because the strain was discovered after manufacturers had begun producing seasonal flu vaccine.
Several state and Baltimore city officials, including Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and state Health Secretary John M. Colmers, headed to a public clinic today to get vaccinated themselves in an effort to encourage everyone else to do the same.