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NATION
THE BATTALION
9A
Friday, December 12, 2003
Officials say more flu vaccines on the way
By Angie Wagner and Daniel Yee
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
I The number ot states hit hard by the flu has
nearly doubled to 24 in the past week, the gov-
- emment said Thursday as it rushed to ship
iaa j oses 0 f vaccine to combat short-
yg ages and head off what could become one of
I 1 the worst flu seasons in years.
The outbreak has taken an enormous toll
nationwide: At least 23 children have died.
Schools have shut down. Emergency rooms
have been filled with sick children. And
doctors’ offices have been forced to turn
away droves of people seeking flu shots.
Some experts predict this year’s death toll
easily could surpass the annual average of
36,000 flu deaths. Health officials are unsure
why the outbreak has hit so early, why it has
caused so many problems in the West, and why
it seems to be so lethal in children.
“If it were me, I'd be on the phone to
your doctor, calling around to see if you
could find some” vaccine, said Dr. Randall
Todd. Nevada’s epidemiologist.
The Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention said the flu has hit all 50 states at
least sporadically, and the season has not yet
peaked nationally. Nearly the entire western
lialf of the country — California being the
edy• miowi ma j or exception — j s now considered to
have widespread flu. Last week, 13 states
1 widespread outbreaks.
Health and Human Services Secretary
Tommy Thompson said the government had
irranged for 100,000 doses of adult vaccine to
x shipped from Aventis Pasteur immediately
Nearly half of 50 states hit hard with flu
Officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
announced on Thursday that the flu is widespread in 24 states.
Influenza activity
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and distributed based on each state’s popula
tion. In addition, 150,000 doses of children’s
vaccine are expected to be shipped to the states
by January, Thompson said.
The nation’s two producers of flu shots
reported last week that they had shipped
their entire supply of about 80 million
doses. However, Aventis had set aside
250,000 doses at the CDC’s request last
week when it became clear that shortages
might develop.
Dr. Julie Gerberding, director of the
CDC, said the center is recommending that
doctors give high-risk groups top priority
for flu shots. That means the elderly, chil
dren under 2, those with chronic medical
conditions, and women in the second and
third trimester of pregnancy.
“The flu season is far from over, we are
going to have to prioritize,” Gerberding said.
Around the country, several schools
closed because so many students are out
with the flu.
In Colchester, Conn., the public Bacon
Academy closed Thursday after more than 300
students — more than one-third of the student
body — called out sick with flu-like symp
toms. Madison Junior High in Mansfield,
Ohio, also closed for the rest of the week after
250 of 900 students were out sick Wednesday,
principal Timothy Rupert said.
“We’ve never closed down for flu,” said
Rupert, who has worked at the school about
60 miles north of Columbus for 23 years.
One of the hardest hit communities was
Malad, Idaho, a town of about 2,000 people
near the Utah state line that virtually shut
down in the'past week because so many
people were ill. Church services and
Christmas programs were canceled, as was
the wrestling match and drill team show.
Even Santa had to postpone his visit with
the children.
Students in Malad returned to class on
Thursday, but 15 percent of the 860 students
were still out sick.
“It’s the worst I’ve seen in many years,”
said School Superintendent Lynn Schow. “We
think we’re OK here, and it hit us hard.”
In Las Vegas, residents had to wait hours
to get flu shots.
“We are out of the vaccine at this point,”
said Jennifer Sizemore, spokeswoman for
the Clark County Health District. “We are
working hard to get some more because
there’s still a demand out there.”
jOiscxwejBfesearcli
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you have any of the following conditions:
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• Males and Females 18 years of age
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SORE THROAT?
• Males and females between the ages
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• Have a sore throat/scratchy throat,
pain or swelling
• Reimbursement for time and travel.
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Medical assessments, study-related diagnostic tests, and
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Interest group ads cannot name
presidential candidates in coming weeks
WASHINGTON (AP) — Abortion rights, environmental and other
obbying groups running ads for or against President Bush or any ot
lis Democratic rivals now have a choice to make: Either remove the
andidate’s name or pull the commercial from the airwaves.
The campaign finance law that the Supreme Court upheld
Wednesday bans ads that mention candidates for federal office
30 days of a primary election and 60 days of a general
slection if they are paid for with “soft money.”
The huge, unlimited donations from corporations, unions and
ndividuals typically are used to broadcast so-called “issue ads,”
which critics say are really intended to sway voters just before an
election and often include sharp critiques of candidates.
The restrictions kick in Sunday, 30 days before the District of
Columbia’s nonbinding presidential primary. They next take effect
Dec. 20 in Iowa, which holds its caucuses Jan. 19, and Dec. 28
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in New Hampshire, where the primary is Jan. 27. They also apply
to House and Senate races.
The limits do not apply to the candidates themselves, which
means that anyone running for president or another federal office
could name a rival in a spot airing within days of an election.
U.S.-backed proposal to end nuclear
crisis delivered to North Korea
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea tried to bolster
hopes for a breakthrough in the North Korean nuclear crisis on
Thursday, as China confirmed delivery of a pivotal U.S.-backed
plan for easing tensions to North Korea.
The United States, Japan and South Korea presented a blue
print for ending the standoff to China, which is playing the role of
mediator, earlier this week but a report Wednesday said Beijing
found the plan unacceptable and never bothered relaying it.
On Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu
Jianchao said the proposal was delivered to Pyongyang.
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