HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius discussed early stage planning for Pandemic H1N1 vaccination later this year noting that some vaccine may be available for distribution by October. HHS said its advisory committees is reviewing which population groups may be offered vaccine and in what priority, but said that “…young people have been disproportionately impacted by this virus, and we anticipate that school-aged children, non-elderly adults with underlying health conditions, pregnant women, and healthcare and emergency workers who are likely to come in contact with the virus will be priority groups to whom vaccine will be offered.” The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) hopes to evaluate the first candidate H1N1 vaccine in early August.

CIDRAP: http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/influenza/swineflu/news/jul0909summit-jw.html