WIS News 10 - Columbia, South Carolina | Despite shortages, more flu vaccine expected to arrive in SC

Despite shortages, more flu vaccine expected to arrive in SC

(Columbia) Dec. 6, 2003 - State health officials say most health departments in South Carolina are likely to run out of flu vaccine by Monday, but more should be coming Tuesday.

Dr. Jerry Gibson is chief of disease control for the state Department of Health and Environmental Control. He says companies that make the flu vaccine announced Friday that they've run out. All of the flu vaccine in the US is made by two companies which say they won't be able to meet a surge in the demand.

Still, they say suppliers probably haven't distributed all of the vaccine they have. South Carolina has asked a wholesale distributor for 5000 to 10,000 doses to distribute to about 70 clinics around the state. Gibson says it's unclear whether those new doses will be sufficient.

Health departments around the state have given 139,000 flu vaccinations this season, nearly all they ordered.

So far Department of Health and Environmental Control officials say South Carolina has had 79 confirmed cases of influenza this season, including one case in Lexington County and six in Richland County.

Charleston County has had the highest number of cases with eight. Last season the first case of the flu didn't arrive in South Carolina until January.

Registered nurse Donna Simon was checking the flu vaccine supply at a Columbia doctor's office on Friday. The refrigerator is emptier than usual, "We've had a tremendous amount of patients who've come in to receive the flu vaccine."
    
Simon says they've given about 25% more flu shots this season than last.

The flu has already proved deadly elsewhere. Health officials believe the flu was responsible for the deaths of six kids in Colorado, three more in Texas and one each in Oklahoma and New Mexico. Authorities in Indiana are also looking into whether a ten-year-old girl's death was because of the flu. The virus typically kills about 36,000 Americans each year, and researchers are expecting a higher death toll this year.

Because the flu season has already hit hard nationwide, demand for flu shots is up, creating a shortage in supply. So, health officials are asking people to make sure they fit into a high risk category before they get vaccinated against the Type-A flu.

Even though this year's predominant flu strain is not part of the vaccination, doctors say there is still some cross-protection. Type-A influenza is what peaked in South America during the winter season there.

People at high risk include the elderly, young children and people who work with or for children or the elderly, people with compromised immune systems and health care workers. Those folks should see their doctors or county health departments for the vaccine.

Reporting by Jennifer Miskewicz
Updated 5:49pm by BrettWitt with AP