Helath Department cites vaccine shortage.
By: Joseph Harvie
South Brunswick has canceled its municipal flu vaccination clinics because of vaccine shortages throughout the country.
The nationwide shortage of the vaccine was caused after the British government closed down the Chiron Corp.’s factory in England. The company provides nearly half of the United States’ vaccine supply and was under contract to many New Jersey communities with the vaccine.
The state Department of Health and Senior Services announced Tuesday afternoon that New Jersey should receive 50 percent of what had been expected, which will be distributed to residents who are at a high risk of contracting the flu virus.
Health and Senior Services Commissioner Clifton Lacy said the federal Centers of Disease Control and Prevention will receive 22.4 million flu shots over the next several months, which is about half of the normal supply for the country.
The vaccines will be moved in two waves. The initial wave of distribution, which will occur within the next six to eight weeks, will have 14.2 million vaccines. The following wave of 8.2 million doses will be moved across the country sometime during the flu season.
The vaccines will be supplied to the high-priority vaccine providers. These providers include hospitals, long-term care facilities, the Veterans Administration, nursing homes, and private doctors who care for young children as well as people working for the Department of Defense, said Dr. Lacy.
Dr. Lacy is urging that only high-risk residents receive the vaccine.
"Every dose of vaccine not administered to an individual at low risk is available to provide immunity from influenza for an individual at high risk for complications of the flu," Dr. Lacy said.
Dr. Lacy said the state will be working over the next several weeks to map out which areas in New Jersey have the most high-risk patients.
According to the CDC, high-risk risk groups include: children between the 6 and 23 months old; adults over 65; people between 2 and 64 with serious medical conditions; all women who will be pregnant during flu season; residents of nursing homes and long-term care centers; children 6 months to 18 years old on chronic aspirin therapy; health-care workers involved in direct patient care; and out-of-home caregivers and people who have contact with children under 6 months old.
Dr. Lacy said officials think this season’s major flu strain will be the Fujian, which was the dominant strain last year. He said it is not an exact science to determine what the dominant strain will likely be.
Dr. Lacy said people who received the shot last year, or contracted the Fujian strain of the flu last year, will have built up a natural immunity against the flu this season. New Jersey’s flu season usually runs from October to April and the state Department of Health said that there has been no signs of flu activity yet this season.
Middlesex County has canceled all flu vaccinations.
South Brunswick has canceled its flu vaccinations, but has a limited supply of pediatric flu vaccinations for children between 6 and 35 months old, said South Brunswick Health Officer Steve Papenberg.
Middlesex County is urging residents to contact their primary care physician to try and obtain a shot if they are high risk. The county also is distributing information on where to find flu shots, said John Dowd spokesman for the Middlesex County Health Department.
Some of the paces include local retail stores and pharmacies, but Mr. Dowd urged residents to call the locations to see if their vaccinations are still going to occur.
The Middlesex County Health Department also is recommending that people follow some basic good hygiene rules to try and limit the spread of the flu, including getting plenty of sleep, drinking enough water and covering your mouth when you cough and washing your hands frequently.
Mr. Dowd said the county is working to find vaccines from other sources and is working with the state Department of Health and Senior Services, the CDC and local governments to get the most current information on flu vaccines to the public.
Mr. Papenberg said the township is on a waiting list for the vaccine and will notify the public when it receives information about if and when it will receive the vaccine.
Mr. Papenberg said residents of South Brunswick in the high-risk category should contact their local physician, call the township health office at (732) 329-4000 ext. 237 or visit the township Web site at www.twp.south-brunswick.nj.us/index.asp, to see where they can obtain a vaccine.
Mr. Papenberg said South Brunswick usually administers between 700 to 1,000 vaccines each year.
Cranbury and Jamesburg canceled their scheduled vaccinations because their programs are run by the county and the county has suspended all vaccinations, said Cranbury Township Clerk Kathy Cunningham and Jamesburg Business Administrator Denise Jawidzik.
Monroe Township had a vaccination on Oct. 2 before the announcement of the shortage was made, Township Business Administrator Wayne Hamilton said. He said it was one of the only vaccinations in the county.
"They were supposed to bring over 1,400 vaccinations. They only came with 700 or so ," Mr. Hamilton said. "We had to turn people away so 700 were administered."
Mr. Hamilton said Monroe is concerned with the situation because of the large number of senior citizens living in planned retirement communities there.
"We approached this very seriously because we are going to lobby from the perspective that we have 13,000 residents over 65, which needless to say puts us in a difficult situation," Mr. Hamilton said. "Many people in Monroe get shots at respective clubhouses, which with the short supply many have been canceled."
Mr. Hamilton said if Monroe Township gets hit hard by the flu this season and not enough vaccines are given out, the entire area could be affected.
"We are very concerned and if we do not supply enough vaccines and get hit hard by the flu, it will have strain on the whole health care system, including the area hospitals," Mr. Hamilton said. "It could have a serious impact."
Mr. Dowd said the Web site www.findaflushot.com also can be used to help find out where flu shots will be administered. Residents who don’t have access to the Internet can call the toll free number 1-877-962-9358.
Dr. Lacy said a statewide hotline has been set up to give people the latest information on the status of the flu vaccines in New Jersey. The number is 1-866-234-0964 and can be reached Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
South Brunswick will administer a pneumonia vaccination on Tuesday from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Senior Center, on Oct. 23, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and on Nov. 16, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. The vaccines will be administered by appointment only. Appointments can be made by calling the Township Health Department at (732) 329-4000 ext. 237.