Seasonal flu-shot clinics canceled because of vaccine shortage

At least two Pikes Peak area health care providers have suspended their seasonal-flu shot clinics after running out of the vaccine, and there’s a chance others may have to do the same.

The shortages, which are occurring nationwide, have hit because of an early rush for the vaccine, increased demand and delays in shipments from drug manufacturers as they hurry to distribute the H1N1 vaccine.

“We’ve had unprecedented response, really,” said Dani DeBardi, vice president of marketing and community relations for the Visiting Nurses Assocation.

Colorado Springs Health Partners and Penrose-St. Francis Health Services have run out of vaccine for their clinics, spokeswomen for the two organizations said. The Visiting Nurses Association was checking its inventory to see if it might have to cancel its walk-in vaccination clinics, and it has quit booking new mobile clinics, DeBardi said. It has so far avoided canceling upcoming mobile clinics.

King Soopers’ pharmacies in Colorado Springs still have vaccine for now, but the chain has used up about two-thirds of its supply, said pharmacist Joel Giles, clinical coordinator for King Soopers. Some locations have run out, he said, but extra vaccine from other locations has been reallocated.

“Where we are now is where we typically would be the first or second week of November,” said Giles.

Most Walgreens stores have the vaccine, said spokesman Robert Elfinger. However, he advised people to call stores ahead of time to make sure they have the vaccine in stock.

Seasonal-flu vaccine clinics traditionally open in October. Outbreaks can happen earlier, but the flu usually peaks in January or later. This year, though, vaccinations began as soon as providers received them, although seasonal flu is not yet circulating.

The biggest makers of seasonal-flu vaccines in the U.S. are running into delays or cutting back shipments — partly because of the crunch to produce millions of doses of the swine flu vaccine. Novartis AG, based in Switzerland, halted its production of the seasonal flu vaccine in July to meet demand for the swine flu version, said company spokesman Eric Althoff.

Drugmaker Sanofi Pasteur said it has shipped more than half of the 50.5 million doses of seasonal flu vaccine ordered and it could be November before some U.S. customers get the rest of their shipments.
Novartis and GlaxoSmithKline PLC said recently their shipments are on schedule, but they’ve told customers they may get about 10 percent less than ordered.

The three companies account for about 100 million of the nation’s expected 114 million doses.

The delay isn’t surprising nor cause for major concern, said Tom Skinner, spokesman for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 70 million of the expected 114 million doses already have been delivered, he said.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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