It's been a frustrating time for health officials. Distribution of the H1N1 vaccine has been painfully slow.
There is concern that those who need the vaccine the most could be missing out.

Plenty of questions remain about H1N1.  Vaccinations in the U.S. are underway but the process has been much slower than the government expected.

To date, about 27 million doses have been shipped around the country. More is coming but it looks like those long lines won't be going anywhere.

"There's a gap between supply and demand, we do expect more doses in the next week or two," says Dr. Anthony Fauci with the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases.  "When I say more, we're projected 8-10 million more doses over the next couple of week."

As more doses are rushed out, the distribution process will be watched. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is concerned that those who need the vaccine the most could be missing out. "A good number of the vaccines have been distributed in grocery stores and box stores. We have to make sure that those stores only give the vaccine to the people who need it most."

Government officials maintain that the vaccine is safe. Despite that, independent health advisers are now being asked to track the 50 states as more Americans get inoculated,  watching for any possible side effects.

Few are expected and that's why the government still wants those in the highest risk groups vaccinated first..

"Young people-pregnant individuals...pregnant women and people with underlying conditions. And those are the ones that we want to prioritize to get vaccinated as soon as we can," says Dr. Fauci.

The CDC reports that H1N1 is not slowing down. 114 children in the U.S have died since the pandemic began including 19 youngsters last week..


(Lauren Sivan, FOX News)