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The inability of the seasonal shot to protect against H1N1 swine flu is further evidence that to protect themselves from both flus, Americans will have to have both shots -- the seasonal flu shot, which is available now, and an H1N1 shot when that vaccine becomes available.

The CDC expects about 116 million doses of seasonal flu vaccine will be available this year. Usually about 100 million Americans get vaccinated, although most people should.

According to the CDC, people who should get a seasonal flu shot include:

• Adults 50 and older.
• All children age 6 months to 18 years.
• Pregnant women.
• People with chronic health problems like asthma, heart disease or a weakened immune system.
• Health care workers.
• Caregivers of people at high-risk, including babies younger than 6 months of age.

Those first in line for swine flu shots should be:

• Pregnant women.
• Children and young people between 6 months through 24 years of age.
• Health-care workers.
• Younger and middle-aged adults with chronic health conditions or weakened immune systems.

More information

For more on H1N1 swine flu, visit Flu.gov.

SOURCES: Michael Greenberg, M.D., M.P.H., director, Clinical Development of Vaccines, CSL Behring, Ltd., Victoria, Australia; Marc Siegel, M.D., associate professor, medicine, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York City; Sept. 10, 2009, New England Journal of Medicine, online