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Montgomery, other counties running out of seasonal flu shots

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By Tim Tresslar, Staff Writer 2:01 PM Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Health departments in Miami and Greene counties have exhausted their seasonal flu vaccines for adults even as Montgomery County’s supply continues to shrink, but the public still will be able to tap pharmacies, doctors offices and other private-sector suppliers for the shots.

Jim Luken, Miami County’s health commissioner, said Tuesday, Oct. 13, that the agency ran out of adult vaccines on Oct. 6. It has no plans to order more unless private-sector suppliers can’t meet the demand, he said. The Troy-based agency still has a limited number of doses for children between 6 and 35 months old.

The Greene County Combined Health District ran out of the adult seasonal flu vaccine last week, but has some doses left for children, Laurie Fox, development coordinator for the agency, said Monday, Oct 12. Greene County has no plans to order additional seasonal flu vaccines, Fox said.

The Combined Health District of Montgomery County expects to run out of its flu vaccine for adults soon, albeit temporarily, said spokesman Bill Wharton.

Starting Wednesday, Oct. 14, the agency will suspend adult immunizations at its downtown clinic, in the lower level of the Reibold Building, 117 S. Main St., Wharton said. Flu shots for children still will be available at the downtown clinic, he said.

The agency ordered 3,000 doses for the season, but only has received 1,600 so far, Wharton said.

Plans call for the agency to resume adult immunizations at the Reibold Building clinic once it receives the additional vaccine shipments, according to a news release.

In the meantime, Wharton said the agency has set aside enough adult doses to accommodate those who already have registered to receive shots at outlying clinics, such as senior citizen centers.

According to its web site, the Warren County Combined Health District no longer is setting new appointments for seasonal flu immunizations. Those who already have set appointments will receive their vaccinations, the web site states.

In Miami County’s case, Luken said his agency ordered 1,500 doses in April, the same amount it ordered in 2008. Last year it took several weeks for Miami County to burn through its vaccine supply, he said. But the awareness created by news coverage of swine flu (H1N1) has accelerated demand for the seasonal flu vaccines, even though they are separate maladies and require different immunizations, Luken said.

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