Demand outpaces flu vaccine supply

By NATHAN S. WELTON
South Coast Beacon

Due to skyrocketing demand, health agencies, clinics and numerous volunteers have almost exhausted the local supply of this year’s flu vaccine, said officials this week.

While the Santa Barbara County department of public health has vaccinated more than 8,000 people, Sansum Clinic has given about 15,000 shots in local community health centers, an additional 5,000 to its own patients and has donated several hundred doses to flu shot clinics at regional assistance shelters.

“We’ve actually given out twice as many flu shots through our county clinics (as we did in 2002), so actually this was a banner year for public demand and response,” said Dr. Frank Alvarez, of the county’s public health department.

He said his department has only 600 doses left, and is working to insure they go to patients most in need.

Meanwhile, Suzi McWright, a nurse at Sansum Santa Barbara Medical Foundation Clinic, ran a free flu shot program at the Rescue Mission this week. She administered some of the 200 shots donated by the clinic and as of press time was trying to organize additional programs at the Transition House and Fire House.

Officials said programs like McWright’s are valuable because those in tight quarters and residential facilities are at high risk of both infection and of spreading the disease to many people.

Still, this year’s influenza strain isn’t more virulent than in the past, said Alvarez, but inoculation requests have been numerous due to increased disease awareness in the aftermath of SARS.

What’s more, there has also been “a heightened demand for flu shots this year because of the publicity of the problems that have been in Colorado regarding the flu,” said Sansum CEO Kurt Ransohoff.

Public heath officials have a difficult time tracking influenza since it’s not reportable, but Cottage Hospital officials had only confirmed 28 cases as of Monday.

“At this point it appears that it’s fairly mild, but the flu will progress,” said Alvarez. “We anticipate it’ll continue to increase through the season and into the first of next year.”