By Lauran Neergaard
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — The United States is taking steps to counter a new delay in the arrival of swine flu vaccine, hunting factories that can get more of the precious liquid into syringes faster.
Dr. Robin Robinson, who is in charge of vaccine procurement for the Department of Health and Human Services, says he’s trying to bring additional manufacturing online for the packaging step that has emerged as a logjam.
The department has long predicted it would have 120 million doses on hand by Oct. 15, but now expects just 45 million by that date. It now appears to be more of a delay than a shortage: More will arrive rapidly, about 20 million more doses shipped every week, by Robinson’s new calculations.