FAST FACTS:
National provider, WellCheck Flu Defense Clinics, cancelled all further vaccinations, including at its Wolfchase Galleria location. It signals a growing problem experienced by various health providers. Experts blame the seasonal flu shot shortage on the hype over the H1N1 virus.
Public health officials urged people to get both H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccinations, and while demand for the H1N1 vaccine is low, seasonal flu shots are up. Now, there aren't enough doses of the regular flu shot to go around.
"The vaccine has been running low at times, then we'll get another shipment in and it'll come back up. We almost ran out again today," says Kimberly Gray, RN owner of The Shot Nurse.
Gray got a surprise shipment of 2,500 doses, but there are no surprise shipments in store for the Memphis and Shelby County Public Health Department. The seasonal flu shot supply there is nearly gone. This week, health department clinics began turning people away.
"Several weeks ago, we noticed that we had not received all of the the complete order of seasonal influenza that we had put in for," says Dr. Helen Morrow of the Health Department.
Dr. Morrow and other experts say vaccine makers couldn't handle the spike in demand for the seasonal flu shots.
"The manufacturers had to switch gears and start producing the H1N1 vaccination and so they stopped producing the traditional seasonal vaccination," explains Gray, who thinks the shortage is temporary.
"I think all the attention to swine flu has really gotten people to act, which is great," says Gray. "We wish they would do that every year!"
Gray says it won't be too late to get vaccinated when more shots arrive. The Public Health Department hopes to get more seasonal flu shots in November. Meantime, it is also running very low on H1N1 vaccinations, but could get more by the end of the week.
- Nationwide seasonal flu shot shortage
- Experts say increase in demand due to H1N1 fears
- Experts: Manufacturers shifted focus from seasonal flu shot production to H1N1 vaccine production
National provider, WellCheck Flu Defense Clinics, cancelled all further vaccinations, including at its Wolfchase Galleria location. It signals a growing problem experienced by various health providers. Experts blame the seasonal flu shot shortage on the hype over the H1N1 virus.
Public health officials urged people to get both H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccinations, and while demand for the H1N1 vaccine is low, seasonal flu shots are up. Now, there aren't enough doses of the regular flu shot to go around.
"The vaccine has been running low at times, then we'll get another shipment in and it'll come back up. We almost ran out again today," says Kimberly Gray, RN owner of The Shot Nurse.
Gray got a surprise shipment of 2,500 doses, but there are no surprise shipments in store for the Memphis and Shelby County Public Health Department. The seasonal flu shot supply there is nearly gone. This week, health department clinics began turning people away.
"Several weeks ago, we noticed that we had not received all of the the complete order of seasonal influenza that we had put in for," says Dr. Helen Morrow of the Health Department.
Dr. Morrow and other experts say vaccine makers couldn't handle the spike in demand for the seasonal flu shots.
"The manufacturers had to switch gears and start producing the H1N1 vaccination and so they stopped producing the traditional seasonal vaccination," explains Gray, who thinks the shortage is temporary.
"I think all the attention to swine flu has really gotten people to act, which is great," says Gray. "We wish they would do that every year!"
Gray says it won't be too late to get vaccinated when more shots arrive. The Public Health Department hopes to get more seasonal flu shots in November. Meantime, it is also running very low on H1N1 vaccinations, but could get more by the end of the week.
