Local health officials left scrambling for new supplies.
By: Jennifer Potash and Jill Matthews
A sudden shortage of flu vaccine has prompted the Princeton, Montgomery and West Windsor health departments to cancel upcoming flu clinics.
Princeton Health Officer David Henry said one influenza vaccine manufacturer, Chiron Corp., was forced to pull its entire stock of 48 million doses off the market Tuesday. The British government halted shipments from the company’s factory because of contamination concerns, affecting about half the U.S. supply.
The two free flu clinics for Princeton Borough and Princeton Township residents slated for Oct. 14 and 28 have been postponed indefinitely, Mr. Henry said.
West Windsor Health Officer Robert Hary also announced that the township will postpone indefinitely its flu vaccination clinic the first of which was scheduled for Wednesday.
Montgomery Township also canceled its Nov. 3 flu clinic for residents.
West Windsor had ordered a supply of 1,300 doses for residents of West Windsor and Washington Township, with which it has an interlocal health services agreement. The township was expecting to receive a partial shipment by the end of this week, but was informed Tuesday that it would not receive any vaccine. The township is now on a waiting list to receive the vaccine from another company.
Mr. Hary said West Windsor residents should not anticipate the township receiving the vaccine and encouraged them to make other arrangements in order to receive the vaccination.
"We are stunned by this last-minute news that flu vaccine is not available to us this year," Mr. Hary said. "Although we are on a waiting list with the other national supplier of flu vaccine, we are not expecting to receive any in the near future, if at all."
Residents expecting to receive a flu shot from the municipal clinics should contact their doctor about obtaining the vaccine, Mr. Henry suggested. Health officials recommend persons over age 60, those with a chronic illness such as diabetes or heart disease or with compromised immune systems, and infants between 6 months and 23 months old should receive the flu vaccine.
State Health and Senior Services Commissioner Clifton R. Lacy encourages those at low risk of developing complications from influenza to forego or defer flu vaccination this season to maximize the availability of vaccine for high-risk patients.
"Because the U.S. vaccine supply will be only half of that originally anticipated, this flu season will be a significant challenge," said Dr. Lacy.
The New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to monitor the situation and determine what additional vaccine, if any, is available for purchase through the remaining manufacturers, Aventis Pasteur and MedImmune.
"It is an absolute disaster," Mr. Henry said.
The University Medical Center at Princeton, which supplies flu vaccine for its staff, in-patients and patients seen through its clinics, obtained its full order of 575 vials of vaccine, said Patty Caldwell, a spokeswoman for the Medical Center.
"We’re covered," she said.
Last year, a problem in flu vaccine production caused a shortage but the Princeton Health Department was able to obtain some additional doses of flu vaccine through the state.
Maxim Health Systems, a commercial provider, has vaccines available and offers low-cost clinics at drug and grocery stores. To find a nearby clinic, visit Maxim’s vaccine Web site www.findaflushot.com.