CDC Announces Flu Vaccine Shortage

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and CDC were notified today that influenza vaccine produced by Chiron Corp. will not be available for distribution in the U.S. for the 2004-2005 flu season. The remaining supply of flu vaccine that is expected to be available in the U.S. is about 54 million doses from Aventis. At the request of CDC, Aventis is assessing whether they can produce additional vaccine for this year.

In response to this situation, KDHE is passing along interim recommendations for influenza vaccination issued today by CDC and its Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP) for the 2004-2005 flu season. These interim recommendations take precedence over earlier recommendations:

Who should get vaccinated with the flu shot this season:

• All children aged 6-23 months (Aventis is producing enough pediatric vaccine for this group)
• Adults 65 years and older
• Persons 2-64 with underlying chronic medical conditions
• All women who will be pregnant during influenza season
• Residents of nursing homes and long term care facilities
• Children 6 months - 18 years of age on chronic aspirin therapy
• Health care workers with direct patient care, and
• Out-of-home caregivers and household contacts of children aged 6 months and younger.

Other vaccination recommendations:

• Healthy persons who are 5-49 and not pregnant, including healthcare workers (except those who care for severely immuno-compromised patients in special care units) and persons caring for children under 6 months should be encouraged to be vaccinated with intranasally administered live, attenuated influenza vaccine.
• Persons in priority groups identified above should be encouraged to search locally for vaccine if their usual healthcare provider does not have vaccine available.
• Many children under 9 require two doses of vaccine if they have not previously been vaccinated. All children at high risk of complications from influenza, including those age 6-23 months, who present for vaccination, should be vaccinated with a first or second dose, depending on vaccination status. However, doses should not be held in reserve to ensure that two doses will be available. Rather, available vaccine should be used to vaccinate persons in priority groups on a first-come, first-served basis.

Vaccination of Persons in Non-Priority Groups:

Persons who are not included in one of the priority groups above should be informed about the urgent vaccine supply situation and asked to forego or defer vaccination.

Steps the public can take to avoid catching or spreading the flu:

• Proper hand washing with soap and warm water
• Staying home from school or work when sick.
• Covering the mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing.

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