I feel really bad that my dh, ds, dd, & myself received a flu shot the day before we found out that there was going to be a shortage. My dd is the only one that should have received one.
One thing that really bothers me though is that my MIL's job is giving out flu shots to all of their employees. This is a company that has several mines all over the country. How can they be allowed to give them out when the shots are only supposed to be going to the at risk groups? Why in some areas are places like grocery store pharmacies giving the shots. In our community they are given out by the health department. I realize that we are supposed to be receiving several more million shots, but they are not here yet. I think that they need to revise the way the shots are handed out.
What do you think?

By Colette on Tuesday, October 19, 2004 - 11:50 am:

How are they getting them? I already decided I wasn't going to get one, but usually I can, for free, because I work in preschool. But the health department, as of right now, is not giving them to the schools.

By Karen~moderator on Tuesday, October 19, 2004 - 02:56 pm:

I had mine last week - I am *at risk* because I have asthma and other health problems. I've been reading and hearing on TV about the shortage, just like everyone else. My PCP was giving the shots on a specific day and time, and I went early because I had to miss work and didn't want to stand in line for hours. Well, guess what? There was me and ONE older woman there. That's it! I can't imagine why more people didn't show up.

And on the other side, my DH is *at risk* since he's had a heart attck, etc. and he actually doesn't have a PCP now. His cardio doc doesn't give flu shots at their office and to get one, he'd have to get in line at a drugstore for probably 5 or 6 hours, after filling out an info form, and then he might not even *qualify*. That's what he was told when he called around.

I wonder if the shortage is as severe as they are making it sound like. Some docs seem to have plenty of it.

By Emily7 on Tuesday, October 19, 2004 - 03:26 pm:

I know that in CO last week some one stole over 600 flu shots from a pediactric hospital.
My fil is at risk because of heart problems, asprin therapy, & lung problems. He can not get it at the VA hospital though.
I know that it is supposed to be expensive to make, but I don't understand why we do not produce it in this country.
I was watching the news & this older gentlemen had been waiting in line for a long time, he couldn't understand why in America he had to wait in line for a shot he needed.
The poor older women that died because she collapsed & hit her head while waiting in line. I just feel horrible for them.

By Palmbchprincess on Tuesday, October 19, 2004 - 09:54 pm:

Here you can get the Flumist easily, but the vaccine only if you are high risk. Children between 5 and 18 can get the flumist at the hospital for free if they participate in the study, and healthy people between 14 and 49 can get it at the local grocery pharmacy for $20. At the grocery, it states who is eligible, by being high risk, for the actual vaccine, so they are following the shortage rules for that. I agree it should have been better distributed, but we weren't prepared for the shortage. Emily, please do not feel bad for getting it, you had no idea there were not enough!!! Nate got it at work because they are health care professionals, and frequently work with elderly and terminal patients. Him getting one is probably my family's best defense, since he is the most likely to catch it. I *can* get a Flumist at HEB, but I'm probably not going to, mainly because there are so many who need it more. My only concern is that I can't get my children one, they are 2, but I'm afraid they will get sick. This whole thing is such a shame.

By Marcia on Tuesday, October 19, 2004 - 11:47 pm:

You are having a shortage because you only get it from 2 companies, and there was a problem with one of them. People are flocking to Canada to get it, because we have lots.
I don't choose to get it, and I don't get it for the kids, either.

By Cocoabutter on Tuesday, October 19, 2004 - 11:54 pm:

Does anyone remember in 1994 the Government Vaccine Buying Program? Hillary Clinton decided that the government would pay vaccine maunfacturers in the US for all children's vaccines, which would be given free to children all over the country. The problem was, the price at which the government paid the manufacturers for the vaccines was not sufficient to cover the cost of making it. Thus, they quit making it and the US has had to get it from over seas ever since.

By Ginny~moderator on Wednesday, October 20, 2004 - 06:32 am:

The only thing I can find on the internet about a "Government Vaccine Buying Program" is quotes from Rush Limbaugh and emails etc. referring to the rush Limbaugh spot on this. I can't find anything else. I did find one blog that points to this program but says specifically that the flu vaccine is NOT part of this program. It also says that liability is an issue, as is the removal of thimerasol as a preservative for vaccines.

I don't know the ins and outs of it. I do know that we are the only country having a shortage. I did hear on KYW a few days ago that Europe has plenty of flu vaccine and this is, according to the KYW report, because the European countries contract with several manufacturers, not just two (as most buyers in the US did). If Canada has lots of flu vaccine, why don't we?

I assume there will be some committee appointed to investigate this, and I'd be interested in what turns up. At this point, I have lots of questions but no particular program or individual I want to point a finger at, except maybe the British manufacturer and the British oversight of that manufacturer.

I am over 65 and have smoking related problems and should get the shot, and can't. I can't use Flumist - it is not recommended for people in my age group or a lot of other people considered "at risk" because it is a live virus - the vaccine is a killed virus and considered safer for many in the "at risk" category.

By Ginny~moderator on Wednesday, October 20, 2004 - 06:34 am:

I do think that the minute the shortage became known the federal and/or state governments should have put some form of controls into place with a "triage" system so that the most at risk people got the shots first until they ran out.

By Feona on Wednesday, October 20, 2004 - 07:45 am:

Women who plan to be pregnant should get a shot too.

By Boxzgrl on Wednesday, October 20, 2004 - 10:40 am:

I don't see the point in the shot. Last year they vaccinated against the wrong strain and look what happened, everyone was sick. People who wouldn't have gotten sick if they had not received the vaccine. My DD is considered "high risk" because of her age but shes not getting one, just so they can inject her with the flu and give it to her. I'd feel bad knowing I caused her to get sick. I've never had the vaccine in my life and i've gotten the flu once. DH is required to get it in the Corps and guess what.... he gets horribly sick for a week after getting the vaccine... every frickin' year!

So just by experience the vaccine is more trouble than good.

By Karen~moderator on Wednesday, October 20, 2004 - 11:48 am:

I disagree Melissa. I used to get the flu most years. I was horribly sick. I've been getting the flu vaccine for at least 10 years. Last year was the first year I got the flu, and it was for the reason you stated, that particular strain of the virus wasn't covered by the vaccine. I was sicker than I've been in 10 years, and I hope never to be that sick again. For me, the flu shot has been a life saver. Jen usually gets the flu shot too. She used to get the flu EVERY year. The years she gets the flu shot, she doesn't get the flu.

As for it making you sick when you get it, the most I've ever experienced is a sore arm, and a headache for 1 or 2 days after getting it.

I'll continue to get it every year. I have asthma, I've had pneumonia twice, hospitalized both times, and I've had bronchitis more times than I can count. Since I've been getting the flu shot, my number of those type illnesses has gone WAY down. The only *serious* illness I've had in the last 10 years (I'm not counting sinus infections or colds) other than last years' flu was bronchiolitis 3 years ago.

I also had the pneumonia vaccine 3 years ago, and will continue to get the flu shots.

By Boxzgrl on Wednesday, October 20, 2004 - 12:54 pm:

Sorry Karen, I meant in *my* experience, its more trouble than good.

I know it helps my 60 something year old Grandma. She still gets sick after getting it but its not life threatening.

It just seems that from the people around me, especially poor DH, it scares me further and further away from ever getting one each year.

And I guess it can contribute to the fact that i'm horribly scared of needles and wont ever get a shot, unless it were a life and death situation

By Cocoabutter on Wednesday, October 20, 2004 - 10:01 pm:

Every time I hear a news report about the shortage, I think of my 78-yr-old grandma who gets colds by being exposed to one single infected molecule (exaggerating, I think!)

Actually, the Government Vaccine Buying Program was on the Rush Limbaugh program, but my mom reminded of it a few days before, and Rush's spot was inspired by an article in the Wallstreet Journal, which I looked for feverishly online, but could not find b/c I am not a paid subscriber of WSJ online access.

I did a search and I found many more references to the program. Perhaps it is hard to find facts about it b/c the Clintons would like for us to forget about it ever happening.

http://www.ncpa.org/iss/hea/2003/pd081803e.html
"...the National Academy of Science's Institute of Medicine has now pinned much of the blame on the government vaccine-buying program promoted by former First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, according to the Wall Street Journal."

http://www.iom.edu/Object.File/Master/14/454/0.pdf
"In addition, recent shortages of vaccines have highlighted the fragility of vaccine supply. Currently, public funds pay for more than half of all childhood vaccine purchases in the U.S. Government purchasing policies have sought to limit expenditures and decrease the cost of vaccines. Companies face declining financial incentives to develop and produce vaccines, and the number of producers of recommended vaccines for the U.S. market has declined from more than 25 companies 30 years ago to only five today."

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1282/is_n5_v45/ai_13563304
"The CDF provided NATIONAL REVIEW with a four-page "background" paper advocating "Universal Vaccine Purchase and Distribution," effectively a national-health scheme to provide vaccines free of charge."

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2003/12/13/140235.shtml
"Last summer the Journal noted that the problem goes back to 1993, when Mrs. Clinton's "Vaccines for Children Program" was first implemented."

I admit that ALL of these links are from last year. They provide validation that there was in fact a failed health care agenda proposed and instituted by Hillary Clinton in 1993/1994. They argue that the vaccine problem we had last year was in part a result of that agenda, and I agree- I wish something had been done about it last year.

However, a vaccine manufacturer is a business like any other. President Bush has attempted to encourage businesses by giving them tax cuts. But then he was accused of pandering to the rich. What is he supposed to do- issue an executive order?

How does anyone guess that we can go about getting more manufacturers in the U.S. to start making the flu vaccine again?

By Dawnk777 on Wednesday, October 20, 2004 - 11:57 pm:

I'm a nurse, and I work in a walk-in clinic, so if they have the flu, they come to us. We have all gotten the flu shot. Last year was the first time I had gotten it. I never got sick from the shot itself. This year, I got the shot about 2 weeks ago. I do have a cold now, but my child had one before that. So, I'm more inclined to think that Sarah shared with me, than that I got the cold because I got the shot.

By Beth on Thursday, October 21, 2004 - 12:27 pm:

I took my mil to the doctor today. She is in her sixities and high risk due to diabetes ect... The doctor wants her to have the flu shot but doesn't have any nor does anyone else! GEESH! I don't know what she expects me to do. We will do our best but that is all we can do. There is one place that is having 100 of them tommorrow from 4-6. Well that is a horrible time for us. Not to mention I can't believer what the line will be like for only 100 shots. So for now she will just have to wait and see.

By Eight_Kids on Thursday, October 21, 2004 - 01:13 pm:

This will make you ill.........I read an article in the local paper yesterday about a guy who's wife gets daily oxygen treatments for asthma, emphysema and bronchitis...she can't get a flu shot (unavailability) but the inmates in a prison 30 miles down the road are getting them!!!!