Seasonal flu shots in short supply

GLENDALE — Local school administrators are struggling to obtain seasonal flu vaccines for students amid regional shortages.

Health and Glendale Unified School District officials said the tight supplies would only complicate efforts at vaccinated children against the H1N1 flu virus. Authorities have told the public to get vaccinated against both the swine and seasonal influenza viruses. The H1N1 flu vaccine is expected to be available by the end of next week.

“I think people are confused between the seasonal flu vaccine and the H1N1 vaccine,” said Lynda Burlison, the health service coordinator for the Glendale Unified School District. “The main worry I think right now is the H1N1 because that’s what’s going around, so people are really not yet concerned about the seasonal flu.”

Some Walgreen’s stores in Glendale ran out of seasonal flu vaccines amid unprecedented demand, a company spokesman said.

A seasonal flu clinic for parents and students at Mountain Avenue Elementary School was canceled last week when a supplier failed to deliver. And plans for internal vaccinations also had to be scrapped when supplies were short, officials said.

Vaccinations are not a part of regular school services, and are paid for by individuals, Deputy Supt. Richard Sheehan said.

Influenza kills thousands of people every year, but more than 95% of reported flu cases in California have been H1N1,Los Angeles county health officials said. H1N1 has been blamed for the deaths of 86 children since April, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

Local education officials have procured hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes to combat the spread of H1N1.

“We think what we’re doing for H1N1 applies to the seasonal flu,” Sheehan said.

Federal health officials scaled back their estimates for vaccines this week, but expect to have 28 million to 30 million doses ready by the end of October.

“There’s very small amounts of H1N1 nasal spray vaccine that’s available that’s been distributed to private providers,” said Jonathan Fielding, Los Angeles County’s health officer. “We expect that will increase next week for nasal spray and injectable [vaccine]. There’s some gaps because [we’re] relying on five manufactures relying on a single supply chain.”

Area hospitals also reported shortages of the seasonal flu vaccine, but are using seasonal vaccines for internal use, officials said. County health officials recommend families go to their usual source of care for the vaccines.

At Glendale Adventist Medical Center, officials have formed a task force to monitor H1N1 and develop triage areas if an influx of H1N1 is reported. Children under 16 are forbidden from maternity and infant areas, a hospital spokeswoman said.

The H1N1 vaccines have been developed along similar methodology to other flu vaccines and are safe for use, Fielding said.

“These have an excellent safety profile,” he said. “It would be terrible if people who really need the vaccine were scared off by unfounded statements.”