Vaccine Scarier Than Swine Flu: Poll

Americans are spooked by the growing threat of swine flu but even warier of the vaccine. Half of respondents in a recent Washington Post poll are a “great deal” or “somewhat” worried they or a family member will catch H1N1, up from 39% in August. But more than 60% say they won't get a shot, and just 52% of parents plan to inoculate their kids, even though children are particularly vulnerable to the virus.

Complicating matters is the low supply of the vaccine in some locations. "I'm worried that the virus is getting ahead of the public health system's capacity to respond to it," Sen. Joe Lieberman said at a hearing yesterday. "There will be enough vaccine for every American who wants to be vaccinated," HHS secretary Kathleen Sebelius responded.
(More H1N1 virus stories.)