Vaccinate kids against H1N1

During most flu seasons, the group that gets top priority for vaccinations is the elderly.

But if the new H1N1 flu comes back in force this fall, it might be better to vaccinate children first, experts said at a news conference yesterday.

In the early stages of the epidemic this spring, the new flu strain has caused "explosive outbreaks" among schoolchildren who have no immunity to it, said David Fleming, public health director for Seattle and King County, Wash., which reported 430 confirmed cases through May.

While the impact of the H1N1 flu, or swine flu, is still evolving, "a critical target group for vaccinations is going to be younger children and particularly those with underlying health problems," said Dr. Fleming, who spoke at a news conference sponsored by the Trust for America's Health, a national public health advocacy group.

There are two other reasons why it might make sense to vaccinate children first, experts said.

First, there is preliminary evidence that people older than 50 may have some protection against the virus. Even though the H1N1 strain is new, parts of the virus are related to strains of the flu that dominated infections in the United States before 1957.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09156/975227-84.stm#ixzz0HXBlNFPr&C