Herseth Sandlin has 'confidence' in H1N1 vaccine, intends to vaccinate child

U.S. Rep. and new mom Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, D-S.D., said today that she has "confidence" in the new H1N1 flu vaccine and intends to vaccinate herself and her infant son.

Herseth Sandlin said on a conference call with reporters that she, her child and her husband have already received the seasonal-flu vaccination. She plans to have herself and her son vaccinated against H1N1, and she plans to "encourage" her husband to do the same. She "made" her husband get his first-ever seasonal-flu vaccination shot, she said with a laugh.

"I understand those concerns that are out there, but I have watched this issue very closely, as have others of my colleagues and members of my family and other constituents that I’ve talked to, and the health-care providers in South Dakota that I’ve talked to that have worked for months to prepare as the vaccines became available," Herseth Sandlin said. "So I have confidence in the efforts that have been under way and intend to get the vaccine and have my baby vaccinated as well."

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has been urging Americans this week to get vaccinated and has been defending the H1N1 vaccine against concerns about its safety. Nonetheless, a Wednesday news story by the Associated Press said that, according to a new poll, one-third of parents do not want their children to receive the H1N1 vaccine.

To see more of Herseth Sandlin's comments, look for updates on this site and read Friday's print edition of The Daily Republic.

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