Seniors aged sixty five and older aren't in the high risk group for swine flu, based entirely on their age, related Tom Moran, a planning advisor with the Highlands County Health Office on Tuesday. "People over 64 years of age are not getting the swine influenza as much as younger people," said Moran. “ It's purely speculation, but people in that age group may have been exposed to another similar virus earlier in life. They don't know why; that's the only explanation right now," he said.
The CDC uses two main reasons why those over 65 are not recommended to be included in the initial doses of the H1N1 vaccine
• First, people sixty-five years old and older are most unlikely to become ill with this virus.
• Second, there'll be limited amounts of vaccine available initially. The initial doses are advised to go to those most liable to get infected and become ill.
"Once the risky groups are immunized it'll be opened up to everybody," announced Moran. "It's kind of like a cruise ship when they say women and children first - they're trying to vaccinate people in the high risk groups first."
This has been true both in the US and in the Southern Hemisphere during its influenza season.
But if seniors have grand children they care for, six months old and younger, for instance, they could fall into the high-risk category.
Ken Kabet, 72, of Tanglewood, was setting up lights in the neighborhood center for an upcoming "Radio Days" show. He announced they have had the Tanglewood Church parish nurses come in as well as retired doctors keeping them informed every week on health issues during their morning coffee.
"When swine influenza shots come available they are going to set those up, I believe," he declared. "If you are watching the news you have got to watch a handful of different sources to make an intelligent decision," he claimed.
Gene Perry, 71, of Wauchula, sat Tuesday on a bench outside JC Penny at the Lakeshore Mall. "I'm going to be truthful with you: I am in possession of a couple of health issues and I haven't decided if I am going to get (the swine influenza vaccination )," he claimed.
"I've had bypass surgery, a defibrillator in me. I may get it later on when I see how people are reacting to it. They are not one hundred percent on that stuff, you know." He revealed he's already had his seasonal influenza and pneumonia shots. The swine flu shots should be available later on in the month. A statement will be made when they arrive locally.
"But, the seasonal flu shot doesn't defend against swine flu," Moran asserted.