Flu Vaccines in short supply!
Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2003 3:04 pm
Local vaccine supply disappearing quickly
By Steve Wideman
Post-Crescent staff writer
Nearly 2,000 doses of influenza vaccine available just days ago in the Fox Valley are all but gone except for special cases.
Spokesmen for Affinity Health System and ThedaCare said Tuesday the only available doses of vaccine are being reserved for high-risk patients and those, including children, scheduled for required second doses.
“We do have a very limited supply of the vaccine,” said Kim Warth, director of marketing for Affinity.
“We are using that vaccine for those people who fall into the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention categories for high risk.”
The Atlanta-based CDC announced Tuesday it was looking to Europe to acquire additional vaccine after the two major U.S. suppliers, Aventis Pasteur and Chiron Corp., said last week they distributed all 83 million flu doses manufactured for this flu season.
Warth said Affinity’s Web site — http://www.affinityhealth.org — contains updated qualifications to receive a flu vaccine.
Warth said Affinity, which received about 1,000 doses last week, is searching for any vaccine distributors with supplies, “but we haven’t been able to find any additional doses.
“We are trying to do whatever we can to find some,” Warth said.
John Gillespie of ThedaCare said Tuesday the organization had 940 doses last week “but in the interim everything dried up.”
“The doses we have remaining in ThedaCare are being reserved for high-risk patients or those needing booster shots. We don’t have any vaccine available for the general public,” Gillespie said.
Steve Wideman can be reached at 920-993-1000, ext. 302 or by e-mail at swideman@ postcrescent.com
By Steve Wideman
Post-Crescent staff writer
Nearly 2,000 doses of influenza vaccine available just days ago in the Fox Valley are all but gone except for special cases.
Spokesmen for Affinity Health System and ThedaCare said Tuesday the only available doses of vaccine are being reserved for high-risk patients and those, including children, scheduled for required second doses.
“We do have a very limited supply of the vaccine,” said Kim Warth, director of marketing for Affinity.
“We are using that vaccine for those people who fall into the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention categories for high risk.”
The Atlanta-based CDC announced Tuesday it was looking to Europe to acquire additional vaccine after the two major U.S. suppliers, Aventis Pasteur and Chiron Corp., said last week they distributed all 83 million flu doses manufactured for this flu season.
Warth said Affinity’s Web site — http://www.affinityhealth.org — contains updated qualifications to receive a flu vaccine.
Warth said Affinity, which received about 1,000 doses last week, is searching for any vaccine distributors with supplies, “but we haven’t been able to find any additional doses.
“We are trying to do whatever we can to find some,” Warth said.
John Gillespie of ThedaCare said Tuesday the organization had 940 doses last week “but in the interim everything dried up.”
“The doses we have remaining in ThedaCare are being reserved for high-risk patients or those needing booster shots. We don’t have any vaccine available for the general public,” Gillespie said.
Steve Wideman can be reached at 920-993-1000, ext. 302 or by e-mail at swideman@ postcrescent.com
