Many area flu shot clinics have been postponed or canceled due to shortage of the vaccine.
By: Scott Morgan
A lack of vaccines has postponed or cut short several planned flu shot clinics around Burlington County over the next month.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there will be a shortage of flu vaccine in the United States this fall and winter because the British company that makes the Fluvirin vaccine, Chiron Corporation, recently had its license suspended. Chiron was expected to provide about half the flu vaccines needed for this year’s flu season in the United States. Aventis Pasteur, which makes the Fluzone vaccine, provides the rest of the nation’s supply, which will now be rationed to high-risk patients.
According to CDC, there are approximately 55 million flu shots available for high-risk patients, including young children, seniors over 65, pregnant women, health-care workers and those with chronic diseases such as diabetes or AIDS.
In Burlington County, health officials are working to salvage flu clinics, though the Health Department has postponed the first week of scheduled clinics while it discusses a revised schedule with the Moorestown Visiting Nurses Association (VNA).
County spokeswoman Loretta O’Donnell said the Health Department will be assisting MVA and doesn’t expect the county will sponsor any more clinics. The clinics that have been postponed have been postponed indefinitely.
The postponed clinics, according to county officials, had been scheduled for yesterday (Oct. 13) in Bordentown City at Shiloh Baptist Church; today (Oct. 14) in Palmyra at Delaware Avenue School; and Friday, Oct. 15 in Willingboro at Patentaude Senior Center.
Beyond county-sponsored clinics, some area businesses have either had to cut short planned clinics or eliminate them due to the shortage of vaccine. In Bordentown, two supermarkets, Acme and ShopRite, had planned flu shot clinics for the season. While ShopRite has canceled its program outright, Acme will give out what remains of its vaccines at its Route 130 location through this weekend, according to company spokesman Walt Rubel.
"As of Saturday, we’re canceling our flu clinic," Mr. Rubel said. He said the clinic will run through Sunday, Oct. 17, at all Acme locations and that once the remaining shots are administered, that’s it.
Mr. Rubel said each store has an average of about 300 shots that will go to high-risk individuals. Anyone who plans to receive a shot from the Acme, he added, will have to fill out a questionnaire designed to determine eligibility.
Acme had planned on operating its clinic until Nov. 4.
County Health coordinator Robert Gogats has recommended that high-risk individuals who want to facilitate getting their flu shot at the county’s clinics have a doctor’s prescription in order to make it faster and easier for nurses to determine eligibility.
Ms. O’Donnell said the county Health Department is trying to negotiate more vaccine from state health officials that, if received, would primarily go to nursing homes and other high-risk locations. She said the Health Department expects to hear from the state some time next week.
Meanwhile, CDC recommends that high-risk individuals whose clinics might not have vaccine contact the county Health Department and ask about other options. CDC also recommends taking steps to curb the spread of flu: avoid close contact with people who are sick; cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough; wash your hands often and thoroughly; and if you get the flu, stay home from work or school to lessen the chance of exposing yourself to others.
For more information about the Moorestown VNA clinic schedule, go to its Web site at www.moorestownvna.org or to reach CONTACT of Burlington County, dial 2-1-1. The Burlington County Health Department can be reached at (609) 265-5548. You can also visit the CDC Web site at www.cdc.gov for more information about this year’s flu season.