Nearly 60 million Americans have received A/H1N1 flu vaccine out of 111 million doses available as of this week, a high-ranking health official from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on Tuesday.

"At this point, we think probably 60 million people have received the H1N1 vaccine," Dr. Anne Schuchat, director of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said during an afternoon press conference.

A CDC survey through December 12 found 46 million people had been given the vaccine, and the Atlanta-based agency estimates that 14 million or more may have been vaccinated since then, with approximately 40 percent of the doses going to children, Dr. Schuchat said, adding that "coverage was about twice as high in children as it was in adults."

"That's really good news because usually with seasonal flu there's a lot more vaccination of adults, including seniors, than children. But with the H1N1 vaccine we were targeting children because they have been so hard hit by the virus," she explained to reporters.

A similar survey conducted by Harvard University also found that by December 17, about 56 million people -- more likely children than adults -- had received the A/H1N1 vaccine.

Meanwhile, Schuchat confirmed that the supply of A/H1N1 flu vaccine has reached 111 million doses in the country as of Tuesday.

"Vaccine is becoming available in more and more places and at more and more times," she said. "It's a really good time (for general public) to be vaccinated in the weeks ahead."

Schuchat urged Americans not to become complacent and skip the vaccine -- particularly those with chronic health conditions who often do not realize that they fall in a group at high risk for developing complications from influenza.

"States are working very hard to make it easy for you to be vaccinated even over the holidays and going into the New Year," she added.

The US government ordered 251 million doses of A/H1N1 flu vaccine, and most states now offer the vaccine to people of all ages. While the shots and nasal sprays are paid for by the US government, clinics can charge a fee around 20 dollars to administer them.

"None of us know what the weeks and months ahead will bring in terms of influenza activity," she warned the public, saying that less viruses circulating does not mean the virus has gone.

(Xinhua News Agency December 23, 2009)