The federal government has so far allocated 146,500 doses of H1N1 vaccine for Hawaii, and local health officials said the state will eventually get enough doses to vaccinate everyone who wants one.

With a population of 1.3 million, the number of doses allocated so far would reach only about 11 percent of the population, and that's only giving them one dose. The recommendation to be fully immunized is to get a second dose four weeks after the first.

The vaccines aren't all here but are ordered, banked, received or en route and the state expects to get more, said Dr. Chiyome Fukino, director of the state Department of Health.

Each week the CDC makes new allotments and so far Hawaii has requested its maximum allotments, Fukino said.

"We are anticipating that as vaccines become more and more available that anyone who wants a vaccination can get one,"Fukino said at a news conference yesterday. "But for right now when vaccine is in short supply we'd appreciate it if those who are not in the priority groups defer until the priority groups are fully covered."

Priority groups are pregnant women, people who live with or care for infants, health care and emergency medical personnel, people 6 months to 24 years old and anyone 25 to 64 years old who has chronic health problems, Fukino said.

Of the 146,500 H1N1 vaccine doses for Hawaii so far, the state has allocated 90,230 doses for a school vaccination program that begins Nov. 13, she said.

Three hundred thirty-two schools signed up for the H1N1 vaccination program, about the same number as the 343 schools that participated in the Stop Flu at School program for seasonal flu, said Dr. Sarah Park, head of the Department of Health's Disease Outbreak and Control Division.

"All schools were invited to participate and it was up to the school to opt in or out," Park said, adding that it's now too late to join.

Park emphasized that the vaccines for H1N1 and seasonal flu are different and said children should get both. About 75,000 school children received seasonal flu shots but added measures must be taken to protect them against the swine flu.

"Some parents may erroneously think they can get their kids vaccinated against seasonal flu and they'll be completely protected," she said. "They couldn't be more wrong."

Park also said that it takes about 10 to 14 days for the vaccine to take effect and that people should still take precautions such as washing hands, staying home when ill and avoiding sick people until their body builds resistance to illness.

The rest of the vaccine allocation will go to health care providers in the community, including pharmacies.

Pharmacies were given the doses to distribute because they are more convenient to working adults and the vulnerable populations, Park said.

Park said she is especially concerned that many pregnant women are not getting vaccinated and she encouraged them to do so because the disease can be deadly.

There have been Mainland of women going to their doctor's office one day with mild flu symptoms and the next day ending up in a hospital emergency room, Park said.

"They decline rapidly," she said. "In the ER they're going into respiratory distress, immediately needing intubation, going to ICU, needing emergency C section in the ICU and sometimes dying."

On the Mainland, swine flu is rampant and it is difficult to predict how it will affect Hawaii, which has lagged about one month behind the Mainland in illness incidence, Park said.

Park said Hawaii has had a head start in preparations.

"Hawaii is in a very good position," she said. "We have this chance to potentially not see the kind of activity you're hearing about on the Mainland."