Flu vaccines slow to reach region

No shortage of vaccine is expected as this year’s influenza season begins, Inland Northwest health officials said. But allocations in Eastern Washington may be staggered over a few months, triggering worries that vulnerable people won’t get flu shots later in the season.

The Spokane Regional Health District has received 700 doses of flu vaccine out of about 3,100 expected doses for the season, said Julie Graham, spokeswoman for the agency.

That’s more than enough to meet overall demand, but the final shipments of 2,400 doses likely won’t arrive until November and December.

Flu season typically runs from October through April.

“We just hope we get it early enough that people still want it,” Graham said last week.

In North Idaho, Panhandle Health District officials have ordered 8,600 doses of flu vaccine for the five northern counties, up from 7,400 doses last year, said Cynthia Taggart, spokeswoman for the health district.

Flu clinics will begin within two weeks in Washington and Idaho, not only at public health districts and senior centers, but also at private clinics sponsored by department and grocery stores.

Exactly how much flu vaccine is available in a community is difficult to determine because manufacturers refuse to release the information, which is regarded as proprietary, said Dr. Kim Thorburn, health officer in Spokane.

“All this creates a headache for planning,” she said.

Last year’s flu season was one of the mildest in recent years, both locally and across the nation. Overall flu and pneumonia deaths were down, according to the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

That was in sharp contrast to the 2004 season, which was unusually severe.

That year, production problems at one manufacturer caused shortages and long lines for shots.

Last year, tight supplies limited shots at first to people at risk of complications.

This year, however, influenza manufacturers are projecting 100 million doses of vaccine nationwide, a 16 percent increase over last year and about 20 million doses more than are typically distributed.

Vaccinations are recommended most strongly for people over age 50, pregnant women, young children and those who have chronic illnesses.

In February, the federal advisory group on Immunization Practices voted to extend routine immunization to include all healthy children ages 6 months to 59 months, or until a child turns 5.

Informally, however, some local health officials recommend virtually universal vaccination.

“They’re thinking everybody of all ages,” said Taggart.