Swine Flu Vacccines Reach New York ALBANY, NEW YORK (WXXI) - New York State will be receiving 91,000 doses of the first Swine flu vaccination this week to be available at hospitals and health clinics around the state. The State's Health Commissioner says the vaccine is safe, and those in groups considered at high risk should get vaccinated.

State Health Commissioner, Dr. Richard Daines, says the first doses of the H1N1 flu virus vaccines will be sent directly to around 3500 hospitals, county departments of health, and health clinics, and Dr. Daines expects the health centers to start reaching out soon, to try to vaccinate those in high risk groups for the swine flu, including young children and health care workers.

Pregnant women will not be able to get vaccinated this week, however, because the initial vaccine doses are in the form of a nasal mist, and are also not recommended for people with asthma. Dr. Daines says the injection type vaccinations appropriate for pregnant women and asthma sufferers will be available later in the month.

The Health Commissioner says the new vaccine is safe, though he acknowledges worries linger from 1976, when vaccinations for that year's strain of swine flu caused complications, including paralysis, in a small number of people. Daines says safety procedures have been much improved since 33 years ago. And he says the current swine flu vaccination has been prepared with all of the same precautions taken for the regular flu vaccinations conducted each year.

"It would be as if saying well, a plane crashed in 1976 and I've never flown since then'," said Daines. "You can make that decision but it's really not based rationally."

Dr. Daines says a small number of people that he calls " inconvincible, anti-vaccine zealots", including some health care workers who protested at the Capitol recently, are not reacting to reason, but to irrational fears. He says the vaccine is safe, and can save lives.

Although 31 people in New York State have died so far from complications associated with the Swine flu, most cases have so far been relatively mild. Daines says it's expected that 30% to 40% of the population could contract the flu, and if even a small fraction become seriously ill, it will have a significant impact on the health care system when the flu season peaks, later on.

Visits to emergency rooms have begun to spike, and Dr. Daines repeats his plea to people who have the flu not to go to the hospital unless your symptoms are serious. He says otherwise, ER's will be overwhelmed, and you could end up spreading the flu to others, or even, catching swine flu from someone who has a serious case. The Health Commissioner says the best advice for those who do come down with the H1N1 virus, is to stay home, get plenty of rest and fluids, and take Tylenol.

The health commissioner also recommends that everyone get the regular flu shot, which is now widely available, with 110 million doses available nationally.

"Take it and put your mind to rest," said Daines. "Maybe for some of us, while we wait for our H1N1 number to come up."

New Yorkers not in high risk groups will be eligible to receive the Swine flu vaccination later in the flu season, once the most vulnerable populations have been taken care of first.
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