NY officials rescind mandatory H1N1 flu shot order

New York state health officials have suspended a ruling that would have forced healthcare workers across the state to get vaccinated against the swine flu by the end of November or risk losing their jobs, saying in a decision issued Thursday that they did so because the vaccine is in short supply. New York will be getting only about 23% of its anticipated supply of the vaccine for the swine flu virus by the end of the month, and that should be reserved for those most at risk for serious illness and death, according to Gov. David Paterson's office.