High-risk groups to get first flu shots

Christine Kosirog has received flu shots twice in her life. Both times she was considered at high risk for complications associated with the flu because she was pregnant.

The Lawrence woman came from a family where flu shots weren’t a priority and she couldn’t remember getting one while growing up.

“But I think people who are at high risk should get one,” Kosirog said while pushing her 13-month-old son, Elliott, in a stroller along Massachusetts Street recently. “I know last year there was a lot of concern that some people wouldn’t be able to get a shot, and some of them really needed it.”

Health leaders are looking to prevent problems they have encountered getting flu shots to people for three of the past five years. They have declared people at highest risk for complications associated with the flu will receive their shots first. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment is encouraging people who are most vulnerable to severe complications from influenza to get a flu shot by Oct. 24, if possible. People not at high risk likely won’t be able to get a shot until November.

“This is really being done as a precautionary measure,” KDHE spokeswoman Sharon Watson said. “We have more manufacturers producing the flu vaccine this year, and it’s anticipated there will be enough doses. But last year, we anticipated 100 million doses.”

Americans panicked last year when the U.S. supply of flu shots was cut in half when British regulators shut down shipments from Chiron Corp., which produced millions of flu shots for the U.S. market.

“There was a great deal of concern among the seniors who use our services about the lack of flu vaccine,” said Jessie Lusher, executive director of Douglas County Senior Services. “We all saw the people going out and standing in long lines, and then we were concerned about them getting ill from doing that.”

Targeted groups

The following groups are considered at high risk for complications associated with the flu:

¢ People 65 and older.
¢ Residents of long-term care facilities.
¢ People ages 2 to 64 years with heart disease, asthma, diabetes, kidney disorders, blood disorders, weakened immune systems or conditions that can weaken the respiratory system.
¢ Children 6 to 23 months of age.
¢ Pregnant women.
¢ Health care personnel who provide direct patient care.
¢ Household contacts and out-of-home caregivers of children younger than 6 months old.

Before Chiron Corp. was shut down, health leaders expected there to be enough flu vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention again anticipates enough flu vaccine this year with 89 million to 97 million doses being produced by four manufacturers – including Chiron.

But rather than assume the distribution of flu shots will go smoothly, health officials are using the lessons learned from past years, said Barbara Schnitker, director of nurses at the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department.

“The first batch of shots are going to go to those at greatest risk because we need to make sure we have enough,” Schnitker said. “And this is a matter of us wanting to make sure we do get our full supply of flu vaccine. Once that is done, we can provide flu shots to the general population.”

The local health department has received a portion of the 7,500 doses it ordered. Schnitker said the health department would have a flu vaccine clinic in mid-October for those at greatest risk.

Lusher said she hoped there were no problems getting shots to the elderly this year. There was a great deal of concern last year, she said.

Most people receive flu shots in October and November. The flu season usually peaks in January and February.