Flu Vaccines Making Way Into Florida

Susan Madden gives Barry Mogil, 74, a flu shot Wednesday at the Pinellas County Health Department.

MARK GUSS

By SUSAN HEMMINGWAY JOHNSON shjohnson@tampatrib.com

Published: Jan 6, 2005

TAMPA - Doses of flu vaccine continue to trickle into Florida, despite fears in October that many sick and elderly people wouldn't be able to get shots this year.

More flu shots are expected to be available at selected Hillsborough County grocery stores by next week. The Pinellas County Health Department also is taking appointments to give the vaccines at three of its clinics.

In Sun City Center, the chamber of commerce will hold a flu shot clinic Jan. 13. The Riverhills Country Club in Valrico will host one Jan. 18.

Restrictions remain about who is eligible for a shot, but the rules have been eased by the Florida Department of Health.

Because of the vaccine shortage that began in October, flu shots are being reserved for those 65 or older as well as babies, pregnant women and the chronically ill.

However, state health officials now recommend that healthy people who live with someone in a high-risk category also be vaccinated.

``Flu season is really just beginning in Florida, so it's definitely not too late to get a flu shot,'' Pinellas County Health Department spokeswoman Jeannine Mallory said Wednesday.

Most of the 13,000-dose shipment that Pinellas received last week went to private health care providers, Mallory said. The department set aside 1,300 vaccines for patients at three county clinics.

Demand for flu shots usually falls sharply by January, but this year may not be typical.

On Wednesday, a clinic sponsored by Maxim Health System in Brooksville attracted more than 400 people.

``That really is different,'' said Maxim account executive Kevin Colley. ``I think because of the shortage, there still are a lot of people who haven't gotten it yet.''

Colley was working with Kash n' Karry on Wednesday to set up clinics at several of the chain's stores in Hillsborough County.

Maxim was asked by the Hillsborough County Health Department to distribute part of a shipment received this week through the state health system.

Hillsborough immunization manager Cindy Hardy said she expected that up to half of the 6,000-dose shipment will be given at the Kash n' Karry clinics. The rest was used to fill orders from private physicians, she said.

The first-come, first-served procedure that caused elderly patients to show up at flu shot clinics before dawn in October will be in place at the upcoming Kash n' Karry clinics, Colley said.

However, the company wants to make it easier so that people won't have to stand in line for hours. Instead, they will be given a specific time to return for the shots after filling out forms, he said.

The state is receiving flu vaccines on an ongoing basis, and more are expected by mid-January, said Florida Department of Health spokeswoman Lindsay Hodges.

Florida was able to purchase 68,000 doses from distributors in California, which had a surplus, she said.

Flu activity has been minimal in Florida, but more cases usually are seen after the holidays, Hodges said.

``On average, we see our peak for flu in February, though we could peak as late as April,'' she said.

``There is plenty of time for people to get vaccinated.''

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