Nov. 7--Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley signed an executive order Friday allowing state and local officials to tap emergency and other medical personnel, such as paramedics and cardiac rescue technicians, if there is a need for more administrators of the swine flu vaccine. Such workers are not currently allowed to vaccinate the general public. With shortages of the vaccine nationwide, the extra workers are not needed so far, but O'Malley said the state should be prepared to immediately use a large number of doses if they arrive. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday that 38 million doses were available for ordering by states. Maryland has ordered its allotment of 707,000 doses, far below the 2.9 million doses needed to vaccinate target groups.

- Meredith Cohn

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