H1N1 Flu FAQs Answered

In the U.S., up to 160 million H1N1 vaccines will be available by mid-October. But who will be given first access to the supply?

On "The Early Show" Thursday, CBS News medical correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton discussed who will go to the front of the line for the vaccine and answered some questions still puzzling people about the virus and the and the vaccine under development.

Ashton, citing the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, said pregnant women, healthcare workers and children six months and older should be given first priority for the vaccinations. Also, at the front of the list: parents and other caregivers of infants; non-elderly adults who have high-risk medical conditions; and young adults ages 19 to 24.

But that's a lot of people first in line. Will there be enough to go around?

Ashton said there will be enough doses available that corresponds to the portion of the population the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates may be affected by the virus -- 40 percent of the U.S. population.

Health officials, Ashton indicated, don't think everyone will run out and get vaccinated. The CDC says that the demand is often unpredictable. Traditionally, less than half of the people recommended to get seasonal flu shots get them. Only about 15 percent of pregnant women get seasonal flu vaccinations. If there are any left over, the CDC says programs and providers should begin vaccinating everyone from ages 25 through 64 years. Current studies, Ashton said, indicate the risk for infection among persons age 65 or older is less than the risk for younger age groups.

However, Ashton pointed out the vaccines will not all arrive at the same time. She said shipments will be staggered throughout the flu season.

But what's better -- prevention of H1N1 or treatment after you get it?

Ashton said vaccines like Tamiflu and the H1N1 vaccine are effective preventative measures. Tamiflu has also been shown to treat H1N1, and lessen the severities of H1N1, but it doesn't prevent the risk of disease. Ashton recommended getting the new vaccine as a first line of defense.

"So many of my patients think, 'I've never got the flu so I don't think it's necessary," ' Ashton said. "(But) the vaccine is the primary tool in our arsenal to fight influenza, both the seasonal flu and H1N1."

For more information on the H1N1 virus, visit the CDC Web site here.