New York - Warning that one in 10 New Yorkers may have been infected with the H1N1 virus, or swine flu, in the spring, officials unveiled plans Tuesday to vaccinate millions of people as schools are to open next week. "As I said when we saw the first cases of this virus back in the spring, I don't want anybody to be alarmed, but I do want everybody to be prepared," President Barack Obama said after a meeting at the White House.
"We know that we usually get a second, larger wave of these flu viruses in the fall, and so response plans have been put in place across all levels of government," Obama said, adding that progress was being made in developing a safe and effective H1N1 flu vaccine.
A study published this week said that swine flu, which killed more than 24 people in New York in the spring, may have infected up to 800,000, or one-tenth of the city's 8 million residents.
So far, there have been 522 swine flu-related deaths in the US, with 7,983 hospitalizations, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said.
New York officials said the seasonal flu vaccine will be available for everyone, particularly those over 50 years, while the H1N1 vaccine will target specific groups, including children.
"The vaccine for the new H1N1 virus has been developed," said health commissioner Thomas Farley. "It's undergoing safety testing right now."
"We have expected it's going to pass that and will be available in mid- to late-October," Farley said.
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said that while the administration would prepare for the worst, there was no immediate cause for taking drastic measures like closing schools.
At estimated 1.1 million New York children will return to schools next week.
Farley said the city expects to receive 1.2 million doses of H1N1 vaccine by mid-October and 500,000 doses each following week to deal with any outbreak.
The vaccine will be given to medical providers throughout the city, and the health department will make it available to all schools in the form of flu mist and flu shots.
