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Health officials are warning of nationwide flu shot shortages this year.
But the impact on Kosciusko County Health Department's flu vaccination program is minimal, while questionable in the local private sector.
"We ordered the same number of doses as we did last year," said Bob Weaver, health department administrator, about 600 doses. "We're just going to carry on as we have."
The health department also ordered their flu shots from Aventis, not Chiron Corp.
British regulators unexpectedly shut down Chiron Corp., a major flu-shot supplier, Tuesday, citing manufacturing problems at the Chiron Corp. factory in England where roughly 46 million doses destined for the United States had been made, according to the Associated Press. British authorities suspended Chiron Corp.'s license for three months because of problems at its vaccine manufacturing plant in Liverpool, England - which supplies primarily the American market. Chiron will not be providing any vaccines to the U.S. this year.
That means only about 54 million flu shots will be available this year from a competing firm, and the U.S. government decided quickly that most healthy adults should delay or skip them to leave enough vaccine for the elderly and other high-risk patients.
Weaver said, "I know there are going to be some really bad shortages this year across the country."
In this area, most persons get their flu shots from their private physicians, grocery stores or pharmacies.
"Locally, we'll be planning somehow to get a feel for the flu vaccination availability," during the next week said Dr. William Remington, county health officer. The private sector is the largest supplier of influenza vaccinations to the public. He said a person wanting to get a flu shot should call their own physician for availability.
"It's still very early in the influenza immunization effort," said Remington. The optimal time for vaccinations is mid-October through early November.
"Last year's experience with influenza, which peaked around Thanksgiving, was unusually early for North America," said Remington. The peak time usually is around January.
According to a news release from U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh's office, Bayh Tuesday called on the Centers for Disease Control to provide answers explaining how 50 million flu vaccines will be unavailable for this year's flu season. Last week, according to the information, Bayh questioned representatives from the CDC about the supply of vaccines for this season and was assured that based on historical vaccination rates, there would be a sufficient number of shots. The 50 million doses have been canceled represent half of the U.S. vaccine stock for the year, creating an immediate shortage that has prompted the CDC to begin asking states to limit vaccines to vulnerable populations only.
"The CDC had every chance to get this right after last year's shortage and they failed on nearly all levels," Bayh is quoted as saying in his news release. "Instead of enacting far-reaching reforms that offered a real solution to the problem, they tried to gloss over the danger by addressing only a potential production shortage. Unfortunately, we are all impacted by this failure, as parents find themselves worrying once again whether or not their children will receive a flu shot and our nation's seniors are left vulnerable. The CDC must be held accountable."
The Kosciusko County Health Department concentrates more on providing flu shots to senior citizens, said Weaver. They hold clinics in the outlying towns for senior citizens.
According to the Indiana State Department of Health, in information provided by the county, priority groups for vaccinations this season include all children six to 23 months old; adults 65 years and older; persons aged 2-64 years with underlying chronic medical conditions; all women who will be pregnant during influenza season; residents of nursing homes and long-term care facilities; children six months to 18 years of age on chronic aspirin therapy; health care workers with direct patient care; and out-of-home caregivers and household contacts of children less than six months old.
