Updated: Friday, 28 Aug 2009, 6:00 PM EDT
Published : Friday, 28 Aug 2009, 6:00 PM EDT
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - As work continues on a vaccine for the H1N1 virus, some are wondering how safe it will be.
Health officials hope that vaccine will be available in Indiana by mid-October, but some parents haven't yet decided whether to get it for their children.
The Centers for Disease Control said children age six months to four years are among the first who should get the vaccine.
But how will parents know it's safe?
"Well, I'm not sure what to think yet because it's new," said Stephanie Melillo, mother of two little ones.
There's Maggie, who's almost three months, and Josie, who's three years old.
Health officials said kids Josie's age should get the vaccine. But Stephanie's still undecided.
"It's just a little scary. I don't want anyone to get it, but at the same time I don't know if I want to vaccinate when I'm not sure what the repercussions might be."
Lisa Lowery, a nurse and a mother said she's not worried about the safety of the vaccine that's under development.
Lowery is already giving the vaccine for seasonal influenza.
She said if researchers determine the vaccine that's in the works for H1N1 is safe and effective, she'll believe them.
"Part of the reason is, working so closely with the CDC and reading so much about this, this H1N1 vaccine is being produced and designed the same way that seasonal vaccine is," Lowery said.
"The most common thing that we see with influenza vaccine is maybe a sore arm," said Indiana Health Commissioner Judith Monroe.
She believes strongly in vaccines. She said the good they do far outweighs any risk they might bring. And she said researchers will be just as thorough in testing the H1N1 vaccine as they are with any influenza vaccine.
"I'll be watching the safety studies myself very closely and if once we have a safe vaccine that is released to the public, I'll be lining my kids up."
There were concerns about a swine flu vaccine back in 1976 possibly being linked to cases of a disorder called Guillain-Barre Syndrome.
Dr. Monroe said researchers are aware of that as they determine the safety of this vaccine.
She also said the way the 1976 vaccine was developed is different from how the H1N1 vaccine is being developed today.
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