Flu Shot Update

by Maria Langlais

As you have probably heard, there is a shortage of flu vaccine for the 2004-2005 influenza season. This was the result of contamination of vaccine at the factory of Chiron, one of the major suppliers. Confusion about the availability of the vaccine has caused many seniors to wait in long lines, or even to travel to Canada to obtain a dose of the vaccine.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that more vaccine will be on the way. (See their Influenza Information web page for more information.)

For local information on vaccine availability, see the Seattle-King County Public Health website for the Influenza Vaccine Recommendations. Public Information Officer James Apa also suggests that you contact your health care provider about availability of the vaccine.

The American Lung Association is also providing a searchable "Flu Shot Locator" on their website. 

The CDC and Public Health request that for the time being, only individuals in high-risk categories be vaccinated. Those priority groups are:

• Everyone age 65 years and older
• All children age 6 through 23 months 
• Household contacts and out-of-home caregivers of children under age six months 
• All pregnant women who will be in any stage of pregnancy during flu season 
• Physicians, nurses and other health care providers with direct, face-to-face patient contact 
• People age 2 years and older with long-term health problems such as heart disease, lung disease (including asthma), kidney disease and metabolic disease, such as diabetes, or a weakened immune system due to HIV/AIDS or another disease that affects the immune system, long-term steroid treatment, and cancer treatment with radiation or drugs
• Children age 6 months through 18 years on long-term aspirin treatment
• Residents of nursing homes and long-term care facilities

People who are not in the high-risk groups listed above are asked not to seek flu vaccination this season, so vaccine is available for those in the target groups.