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Seasonal flu vaccine is becoming harder to find in Allen County.
Local health officials say public awareness and concern about the flu sparked demand for the vaccine this year. But suppliers have stopped providing shipments to local doctors and hospitals because they are now focusing on the H1N1 vaccine.
The H1N1 flu strain is striking children in high numbers. Children, pregnant women and adults with chronic illness have a higher risk of suffering severe illness from H1N1.
While this type of flu is widespread, regular flu season is about to begin. Health officials urge residents to be vaccinated for both types if possible.
The Fort Wayne-Allen County Department of Health initially provided both vaccines during public clinics at Carew Medical Center in early October. But the department ran out and stopped focusing on the seasonal flu, spokesman John Silcox said.
Fort Wayne Medical Education Program, which runs a family practice and residency program at 750 Broadway, ran out of the seasonal flu vaccine for adults Wednesday, said Sue Stone, director of nursing and clinic support. Stone said patients used up a supply meant to last from October to March.
In comparison, the family practice had many doses remaining after the last flu season ended, Stone said.
“That’s phenomenal,” Stone said of the current demand.
She is not expecting more seasonal flu vaccine for the winter because suppliers have switched to manufacturing H1N1 vaccine, she said.
Officials with Lutheran Health Network are experiencing similar problems, spokesman Geoff Thomas said. The hospital system typically provides the seasonal flu vaccine through its RediMed urgent care centers. But RediMed ran out in early October, he said.
“We just don’t have the supply as we normally would to distribute to the general public,” Thomas said.
Parkview Health has vaccine available. The system’s occupational health and affiliated physicians offices around the region are providing the vaccine to its patients, said Betty Brown, chief quality and patient safety officer for Parkview Health.
But the health system is receiving fewer doses than it expected. Over the course of the flu season, Parkview will receive about 10 percent less than it ordered, Brown said.
Patients who still need the vaccine should call their doctors’ offices to see whether it’s available, Brown said.
The demand for the vaccine is greater this year because of concern about the H1N1 flu pandemic, Brown said.
Super Shot has plenty of the seasonal flu vaccine for children and has not had any in shipments, executive director Kelly Zachrich said.
During October, the non-profit saw three times the number of children than typically come through its clinic doors, she said.
“We had our biggest month ever,” she said, all due to seasonal flu shot demand.
See a clinic list at www.phpni.com/supershot.aspx. aiacone@jg.net
