HHS Sec. Sebelius talks about H1N1 flu

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - The nation's Health and Human Services Secretary spoke with 24-Hour News 8 about the H1N1 outbreak and the efforts to curb it.

Kathleen Sebelius told 24-Hour News 8 vaccine shipments started sooner than expected, but ongoing production is going more slowly than hoped. She said five different manufacturers are producing the vaccine.

H1N1 Special Coverage: The latest news and information on the H1N1 flu virus

Sebelius acknowledged that there are a couple of very different kinds of 'fear' developing; some people are very worried they won't get the vaccine soon enough, while others say they don't want the vaccine at all.

To those fearful that they will get extremely ill if they don't get the vaccine soon, Sebelius said, "Most people are getting the flu, which is uncomfortable but not serious. That's why the priority groups are first, but there will be enough vaccine."

On the other hand, Sebelius said she understands that some people fear the vaccine itself but she insists there's no cause for alarm.

"And certainly weigh the risks," she said "We've had 100 million people in the United States get the seasonal flu vaccine. So we have lots of clinical data on what happens, what the health risks are, and this has been made exactly the same way that seasonal flu is being made."

To see 24-Hour News 8’s entire interview with Secretary Sebelius click on the video player.