Flu shot shortage sends health agencies scrambling
Staff writer
High risk individuals will be at the front of the line late this week when Marion County Health Department personnel begin doling out its 1,500 doses of flu vaccine.
"We are the only people (organization) in Marion County to receive its full order of flu vaccine," said Anita Hooper, LPN, immunization coordinator with Marion County Health Department.
The British government suspended the license Oct. 5 of Chiron, one of two companies worldwide which makes that flu vaccine. That announcement cut the amount of vaccine expected in the United States in half, sending health officials nationwide scrambling for additional doses.
Marion County Health Department is receiving vaccine because it ordered from Aventis, the other flu vaccine manufacturer.
Hooper said the health department plans on serving the high risk population countywide, taking up the slack for other health care organizations that did not receive their orders.
Marion Family Physicians and Marion Pharmacy were among the thousands of organizations or businesses nationwide left empty-handed by last week's announcement.
"We pre-booked our order with Chiron in February," said Tammy Snelling with Marion Family Physicians. "But now no vaccine will be coming from Chiron."
Typically, the clinic administers somewhere between 550 and 650 vaccines, Snelling said.
"Normally we start giving vaccines around the first of October," she said. "Right now, we're on a waiting list."
A health shot clinic scheduled for Oct. 27 at Marion Pharmacy also has been canceled due to lack of vaccine.
St. Luke Hospital and Living Center will not be receiving any vaccine this year according to Linda Kannady, RN, director of pharmacy.
Typically, St. Luke provides flu shots for employees, living center residents, and those receiving home health services.
"We won't be getting any vaccine — none," Kannady continued. "I've checked with a lot of sources and there's none to be had."
Hillsboro Community Medical Center also has been left in the lurch, according to Brenda Brown, director of nursing.
"We usually vaccinate our employees, but we also have a nursing home attached to our facility so the lack of vaccine is a real health issue for us," Brown said.
"We've been in touch with the State of Kansas and they know the situation we're in and are trying to get some doses sent this way," Brown said.
Hooper said Tuesday morning the health department had made arrangements to provide flu shots to all nursing home residents in the county.
In past years, Brown has conducted a clinic at the Hillsboro Senior Center. This year she is unable to do so, although Hooper at Marion County Health Department said they would set up a clinic in Hillsboro to help fill the void.
Area school districts and some businesses in the past have offered flu shots to employees. That also is not likely to happen.
"We had planned to give all our employees and special ed co-op people who work in our buildings a flu shot this year," Marion-Florence USD 408 superintendent Lee Leiker told the school board Monday night.
"Now, we won't be able to do any of that," he said.
With only 1,500 doses available for the entire county, Marion County Health Department plans to continue the tradition of immunization clinics throughout the county. However, those doses are reserved for high risk individuals. They include:
— People 65 years of age or older.
— Infants from 6 to 23 months of age.
— Pregnant women.
— People under the age of 65 with chronic health problems like diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, asthma, cancer, or HIV/AIDS.
Next on the priority list is health care workers.
"After that, whatever's left will be given out on a first-come, first-served basis," Hooper said. "We'll be asking people to fill out (health-related) questionnaires."
The last to receive the vaccine — assuming any is available — will be healthy adults.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment is aware of the limited number of doses available in Marion County and is working to get more, Hooper explained.
The cost for a flu shot is $15, Hooper said.
"We pre-booked our vaccine in March so they can't up our prices," Hooper said.
Following the announcement that vaccine was in short supply, the asking price "quadrupled overnight," according to a story in the Oct. 7 Wichita Eagle. Originally priced at $12 to $13 a dose, suppliers were selling vaccine for as much as $60 by the afternoon of Oct. 6.
Medicare patients should bring their cards with them so the clinic can bill Medicare.
Pneumonia shots also will be offered during the county's immunization clinics.
Following is the clinic schedule:
— Marion — 9 to 11 a.m. Friday, Marion Senior Center.
Also, Marion County Health Department will give flu shots to high risk individuals every Wednesday beginning Oct. 20 at the Marion office. Clinic times are from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
— Goessel — 3 to 5 p.m. Friday, Goessel Senior Center.
— Burns — 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 25, Burns Community Center.
— Florence — 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 28, Florence City Building.
— Peabody — 3:30 to 7 p.m. Oct. 26, Peabody Elementary School.
— Tampa — 2 to 4 p.m. Oct. 29, Tampa Senior Center.
— Hillsboro — 1 to 4 p.m. Nov. 2, Hillsboro Senior Center.
