Officials: MI kids need 2nd H1N1 shot

DETROIT (AP) -- State health officials say thousands of Michigan children are overdue for the second of two vaccine doses required to ward off the H1N1 virus.

Children under age 10 need two doses of the vaccine, administered about a month apart, to combat the virus. But 65 percent of the 308,000 Michigan children who were vaccinated got only one dose, and most are overdue for the booster.

The Michigan Department of Community Health next week plans to mail 176,000 letters telling parents it's not too late to get the second dose, which is available at health departments, private health providers and retail pharmacies.

The Detroit News says the virus has hospitalized 2,105 Michigan residents since September and caused 80 deaths since April. Four of the deaths were children under 10.

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Information from: The Detroit News

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