60 Million in U.S. Vaccinated Against Swine Flu

Image: Black areas = confirmed deaths from swine flu. Red = confirmed cases.

But CDC Says Only 2 Million Children Have Received Their Second Dose of Vaccine

At least 60 million people in the U.S. have rolled up their sleeves or taken the nasal spray version of the H1N1 swine flu vaccine, according a briefing at the CDC today.

Twice as many doses have gone to children than adults, but only about 2 million children had received the second dose of the swine flu vaccine, according to a CDC telephone survey ending Dec. 12.

"There are a lot of children in need of second doses in the weeks ahead," Anne Schuchat, MD, director of the National Center of Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said at the briefing.

Schuchat dismissed a recent Australian study that suggested that a single dose of vaccine could be enough for children under 10. "We strongly believe that two doses are needed in children."

The CDC recommends that children under age 10 get the two doses at least four weeks apart -- though a longer gap of five to six weeks is fine.

via 60 Million in U.S. Vaccinated Against Swine Flu.