H1N1 flu vaccine now officially in circulation

SUNRISE, Fla. (WSVN) -- Today is the day South Florida healthcare workers begin administering the H1N1 flu vaccine... but only to a select group of patients.

Starting Monday, only people meeting the following criteria will be able to get the vaccine:

-Babies between the ages of six to 24 months old.
-Pregnant women.
-Caretakers for children under 6 months old.
-Health care workers.
-The chronically ill.

The most at-risk group of catching the virus, however, are school-aged children. They will get the vaccine at school. "I got the nasal, and it was OK," said Patricia Hall, a student at Westpine Middle School in Sunrise.

Michelle Faulkner said she preferred the injection for her children. "For me the best was the injection," she said. "My daughter has epilepsy, and I didn't want to put something-- a live virus that they don't know too much about into your system." Both her children got the injection.

"Normally I'm scared of shots, and I wasn't really scared. I didn't really feel it, actually," said her son, Tyler Faulkner.

What has been scary for parents during anticipation of the vaccine is talk of its safety. "I researched it. I have friends in the medical field. I've called everybody," said Michelle Faulkner.

A woman in Miami was one of the first in line at Miami-Dade's health clinic to get the vaccine Monday. "I have several severe illnesses, and I don't want to put my grandchildren in danger, and they go to a public school, and I don't want to put them in danger, so I told my daughter, as soon as it hit Miami, we would be first."

The federal government has already shipped about a week's worth of swine flu shots and nasal sprays to Miami-Dade and Broward Counties.

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