The entire state will experience a shortage of influenza vaccine this year due to the cancellation of distributions from the major flu vaccine maker Chiron, according to the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH). Last week, the UK government suspended the manufacturing license of Chiron, which supplies nearly half of the U.S. supply of the influenza vaccine. The health department would not elaborate on the reasons why the manufacturing license was suspended.
For Sequoyah County, the shortage means people will have to look to private physicians to obtain the vaccine, Linda Hattaway, health department director, said.
"If Sequoyah County Health Department gets it, we'll get a very limited supply," Hattaway said.
Hattaway said the state health department is only getting 13 percent of the vaccine shipment ordered, which amounts to only 33,000 inoculations for the entire state. The state health department will be looking at who to distribute those doses, which Hattaway predicts will be the most vulnerable, including persons in nursing homes and hospitals.
"Honestly, we may not get any," Hattaway said.
Hattaway said usually the health department gets 2,000 doses, and then they usually have to get more from other counties. Before getting news of the shortage, the department originally planned to shut down other services to have a free flu vaccine clinic for the last week of October.
"We have no vaccine," Hattaway said.
Hattaway encourages those at high risk from complications from the flu to find another vaccine source, such as private physicians. She said Cherokee Nation's Redbird Smith Health Center in Sallisaw does have the vaccine, and people can go there if they qualify. She said residents can contact their doctor for more information.
Since the vaccine is going to be limited in the county, Hattaway urges everyone to use preventative measures, such as washing their hands, covering their mouth when sneezing or coughing, and using hand sanitizers. She said if a person feels sick, he or she should stay home from work or school and call a doctor.
Hattaway said the shortage is disappointing because the department has worked to get the message out that getting a flu vaccine is good, healthy behavior, but now the department can't give the shots.
Hattaway said there has been no flu confirmations yet in Oklahoma, and of last week, there's been none confirmed in the U.S.
"It's not here yet," Hattaway said.
She said there are ways to stay healthy, such as washing hands after shaking hands with somebody, and keeping children's hands clean. Hattaway said the health department will give the public more preventative information in the coming weeks.
Hattaway said to put things in perspective, there are about 40,000 residents in the county, and the health department gives about 2,000 flu shots.
"A vast majority don't get flu shots," Hattaway said.
Hattaway said she worries about people who are the most vulnerable to influenza, which includes those with lung and respiratory problems, those over the age of 65, and babies.
"Maybe these folks can find the flu vaccine some place else," Hattaway said.
"I wish we had enough vaccine," Hattaway said. She said since there's not enough, the health department is going to help people not get the flu by other means.
Based upon recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the OSDH is notifying local health care providers to target providing influenza vaccinations for high-risk populations, according to an Oct. 6 press release from the OSDH.
"At this time, it appears that most of Oklahoma's vaccine will be available from private physicians and not public health departments," Dr. Michael Crutcher, state health commissioner, said.
The OSDH is asking healthy people not to get an influenza vaccine this year so that the populations at highest risk of complications from influenza can be reached first, Dr. Kristy Bradley, interim state epidemiologist, said.
According to recommendations by OSDH officials, priority groups for vaccination include:
People who over six months of age with underlying chronic medical conditions.
Adults who are 65 years old and older.
All children from six to 23 months.
Healthcare workers involved in direct patient care.
All women who will be pregnant during the influenza season.
Out-of-home caregivers and household contacts of infants.
The OSDH said a possible vaccination option for people not included in the priority grouping is the intra-nasally administered influenza vaccine, FluMist(tm).
If available through private providers, FluMist(tm) is encouraged for healthy persons who are five to 49 years old and are not pregnant, particularly health-care workers, first responders, and people caring for children who are six months old or younger.
The OSDH said influenza circulates every year and most healthy people recover without major complications.
The OSDH is forming a statewide task force to help coordinate and direct contingency plans for the 2004-5 influenza season. The task force is expected to function throughout the influenza season, which typically extends from October through March in Oklahoma.
OSDH announced Tuesday that it is also establishing an influenza vaccine redistribution network to redirect vaccine already delivered or anticipated by some companies in Oklahoma to people considered high-priority.
Each year, many large employers and corporations typically order influenza vaccine for their employees.
"We are asking those companies who have an employee population that is likely not to include persons considered at 'high risk' for complications from influenza to consider donating their influenza vaccine so that it can be redistributed to persons whose health could be compromised if unprotected from influenza," Crutcher said.
Crutcher said state health officials would also consider purchasing the vaccine from those companies who provide it for reimbursement at the same cost it was originally purchased.
Companies that might be interested in being a part of the influenza vaccine redistribution network should contact Dorothy Cox, OSDH immunization service assistant director, at (405) 271-4073.
