10-08-2004Kosciusko Community Hospital, the KCH Health and Wellness Center and MedStat Urgent Care and Occupational Health have given all their available flu vaccine to family practice physicians.
All scheduled corporate and community flu shot clinics have to be canceled as a result of the vaccine shortage. Community members who are considered by the national Centers for Disease Control as “high risk” should call their local family physician. Kosciusko Family Health Care, 2235 DuBois Drive, has no vaccine available.
The family physician will make the decision on administering dosages to high-risk patients following guidelines given by the CDC. The same guidelines have been provided to the hospital and physicians locally by Dr. William Remington, Kosciusko County health officer.
Tuesday, Chiron Corp. notified the CDC none of its influenza vaccine would be available for distribution in the United States. The company said the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency in the United Kingdom, where Chiron’s vaccine is produced, has suspended the company’s license to manufacture the vaccine for three months, preventing any release of this vaccine for this influenza season. This will reduce by half the expected supply of flu vaccine available in the U.S. for the 2004-05 influenza season.
The CDC has issued interim recommendations for influenza vaccination during the 2004-05 season. Priority groups for vaccination with inactivated influenza vaccine this season are:
• All children age 6–23 months.
• Adults 65 years or older.
• Persons younger than 2 years old to 64 years old with underlying chronic medical conditions.
• All women who will be pregnant during the flu season.
• Residents of nursing homes and long-term care facilities.
• Children 6 months to 18 years of age on chronic aspirin therapy.
• Health-care workers with direct patient care.
• Out-of-home caregivers and household contacts of children younger than 6 months old.
Additional ways that each individual can reduce the chances of catching the flu or passing it to others:
• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay at home when you are sick.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
• Practice daily good nutrition and exercise.
Kosciusko Community Hospital is working to find more vaccine to ensure that the vaccine can be available to those in the community who face the greatest risk from influenza. For answers to any questions, call 372-7621.