Originally published October 14 2005
Vaccine shortages halt U.S. flu clinics
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Dr. Ray Strikas of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has stated that once Chiron Corp. resumes its sale of vaccine, the current shortage in the U.S. will be over in a few weeks.
WASHINGTON -- Delayed vaccine shipments to some health departments and doctors' offices are hindering efforts to protect the highest-risk patients -- even as grocery stores open mass flu-shot clinics.
The CDC is getting complaints that many high-risk patients won't be reached by then, leaving them to compete for shots.
"Our phone has been ringing for the last two weeks from citizens: 'When can I come get my flu shot?'" said a frustrated Carol Moehrle of Idaho's North-Central District Health Department, which has postponed vaccinations at nursing homes because of delayed shipments.
"It puts us in an awkward situation with our public when they're looking to us to be a leader in this arena," said Moehrle, who has received only 20 percent of doses ordered, with no guarantee when the rest will arrive.
The sickest-first policy "is just not working out as had been planned," he said.
Meanwhile, mass purchasers are opening flu-shot clinics at pharmacies, grocery stores and other retailers -- places where doctors don't want their most frail patients to have to stand in line.
Her office ordered 1,400 flu shots in February from two distributors that won't say when, or even if, the first shipment will arrive; efforts to get doses elsewhere have failed.
CDC is tracking the complaints, and soon will begin assessing how to improve vaccination of the neediest next year, said CDC's Strikas.
Some companies that run flu-shot clinics for grocery stores and other retailers say they comply with CDC's neediest-first policy.
Still, the complaints illustrate the shakiness of the vaccine system despite efforts at improvement after last year's debacle, when the nation's flu-shot supply was abruptly cut in half because of contaminated Chiron doses.
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