First batch of H1N1 vaccine will go to health care workers

Minnesota's first order of H1N1 vaccine will be distributed to health care workers who have direct contact with infected patients.

The Minnesota Department of Health says the first vaccine batch has fewer than the 51,000 doses it had hoped to receive. The doses are also in the form of a nasal mist, which is not recommended for high-risk patients such as pregnant women and children under age 2.

Vaccination expert Kris Ehresmann says more vaccine will be coming in the weeks ahead. But she says it will be another month before most Minnesotans will have access to the vaccine.

"Probably by the first or second week in November it should start to be loosening up," she said. "Through October I think it will be fairly tight, and we will be really targeting where that vaccine goes."

Ehresmann says pregnant women and young children should be able to get vaccine by mid to late October.