New Vaccine Shipments

10/15/2004

Wake County Human Services is anticipating shipments of flu vaccine over the next week, which will bring its supply to approximately 9,500 doses; however, requests from local health care providers serving high-risk individuals total 25,000, with additional requests coming in daily from local citizens.

"We've received requests for vaccine from local hospitals, private providers, pediatricians, nursing homes, first responders and the general public," said Gibbie Harris, Wake County Community Health director. "We are consulting with our health care partners in the community to determine the best way to provide the vaccine that we have so it will reach high-risk populations in Wake County."

Human Services' flu clinics are still suspended until further notice. "We want to reassure the public that it is still early in the flu season and that we have time for individuals who are at high risk and who receive the vaccine to develop a strong immunity to the flu," Harris said. "We also ask that the public be patient as we all work through this vaccine shortage together."

By law, all providers in North Carolina must follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines on who qualifies as high-risk. The CDC describes the following individuals to be at high risk for contracting flu and its complications:

All children aged 6-23 months
Adults 65 and over
Persons aged 2-64 with underlying chronic medical conditions
All women who will be pregnant during the influenza season
Residents of nursing homes and long-term care facilities
Children aged 6 months-18 years on chronic aspirin therapy
Health care workers involved in direct patient care
Out-of-home caregivers and household contacts of children aged less than 6 months.

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