Obama Sisters Get Swine Flu Vaccine

In the current swine flu era, everyone is hurrying to be protected. Hand sanitizers are being overused and every cough is accompanied by accusing shouts of “Swine!”  Here in Maryland and in Washington, DC the outbreak of the H1N1 virus is significantly worse than in most other states. President Barack Obama decided to protect his children from the swine flu with the new recent swine flu vaccine. However, he and First Lady Michelle Obama have yet to inoculate themselves, saying they will wait for the priority groups to have their chances at the vaccine.

What does this all mean? With the recent declaration of a national emergency by the President, the swine flu vaccine seems like something needed by every person in the United States. With the Obama daughters within the range of those who are under the most danger, it seems like a smart move. The Obama daughters are in danger of becoming infected, and it seems like they should be protected. However, the mass shortage of vaccines ensures that not everyone who needs the vaccine will get them. Some people may even ask why President Obama is giving the vaccine to his children when others in more danger will not have access. After all, the WHite House seem like a pretty safe place, right?

In my mind, two vaccines will not make much of a difference in saving lives. President Obama is doing the right thing in giving his daughters the vaccine. As a matter of fact, what he is doing is providing an example for the rest of America to follow. Many parents have decided that the swine flu is not dangerous enough to waste money on a vaccine, or long lines at a free clinic. Some of my friends at school have gotten swine flu, and it’s nothing worse than a normal illness for a couple of days. But this is different. Obama hopes that by vaccinating his young children, he can jumpstart parents of young children under the teenage years to get vaccinated. If they see the President vaccinate his children, then they too may feel like it’s important enough to get their children vaccinated.

Especially with the swine vaccine shortages. The government had hoped that 120 million doses of the vaccine would have been distributed to hospitals by mid-October. As of now, only 11 million doses have been distributed. Millions of Americans have been reported in getting the swine flu, but only 1000 people have died, over 100 of them children. Pregnant women, people under the age of 24, and people with pre-existing conditions are at greatest risk. Hopefully the Obama example will get more members of these groups to go to the hospitals, clinics, and physicians to try by all means and obtain the swine flu vaccine.