These early batches of vaccine will protect 6 million to 7
million people. Over time, the government expects to have a
total of 250 million doses of the new vaccine, although 10
percent of that has been promised to other countries. The U.S.
vaccine shipments will go directly to doctors, clinics and other
providers designated by each state, Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention officials said at a news conference in Atlanta.
Most of the initial doses will be a nasal spray form of vaccine,
but the majority of doses during flu season will be shots. CDC
officials also said swine flu is widespread in 26 states now, up
from 21 a week ago. The CDC doesn't have an exact count of swine
flu deaths and hospitalizations, but existing reports suggest
the infection has caused more than 600 deaths and more than
9,000 hospitalizations. Mike Stobbe of The Associated Press
wrote this report.