COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Health officials are predicting that 100,000 people will die from the H1N1 virus this year.
Locally, Columbus Public Health estimated that between 1,000 and 1,500 people in Franklin County will die from H1N1 this year.
Until a vaccine is released, the message is to get your seasonal flu shot out of the way.
Kroger expects to administer approximately one million seasonal flu shots at 1,900 pharmacies around the country.
CVS and Walgreen's pharmacies also started their flu shot clinics on Tuesday.
Health officials said they are pushing the seasonal flu vaccine because of a concept of herd immunity. The more people who get the flu vaccine, the less flu there is to be contracted.
Now, the wait is on for the H1N1 vaccine -- which is anticipated to be distributed in mid-October at the earliest.
The vaccine calls for two shots and patients need to wait two to three weeks between each shot.
Columbus Public Health said they expect to receive 100,000 doses for Franklin County -- which will be enough for 10 percent of the population and will be distributed based on priority.
First to receive the shot will be pregnant women, followed by children six months to 24 years old, then health care and EMS workers, those in households with children under six months old and then anyone 24 to 65 years old with underlying health conditions.
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