Will your pediatrician have flu shots?
Will you be able to get a flu shot at work or school?
Remember that the shortages of flu shots the last few years left many parents scrambling to find flu shots for their kids. This year was supposed to be different though, with over 130 million doses of flu vaccine being available. Having to produce the 2009 H1N1 swine flu vaccine got in the way of making seasonal flu vaccine though, and experts now expect only 114 million doses of seasonal flu vaccine this year.
Still, everyone should be able to get a flu shot this year.
This is a great time to start planning on where your family will get a flu shot -- before seasonal flu season starts.
Although kids used to start getting their flu shot in October or November, the CDC now advocates 'beginning use of seasonal vaccine as soon as available, including in September or earlier,' which means that some pediatricians may start offering flu shots now, even before kids go back to school.
Flu Shot Shortages?
If your child does need a flu shot, your pediatrician is the best place to start looking, but if they aren't offering flu vaccine this year, you might check with your local health department, hospital, or pharmacies, and get one wherever you can.
Fortunately, no one is talking about seasonal flu shot shortages this year. In fact, many pediatricians started giving seasonal flu shots early this year. Unfortunately, many are quickly running out, both because of high demand and because part of their shipments have been delayed to November as manufacturers shifted production to the 2009 H1N1 swine flu vaccine.
Although some parents are concerned about not being able to get a seasonal flu shot right now, keep in mind that it is very early in the non-swine flu season, so there should be plenty of time to get vaccinated. In fact, the CDC usually recommends that children try to get there seasonal flu shot before December, so that still gives you time.
Remember that with the latest recommendations, it is recommended that all children between the ages of 6 months and 18 years now get a seasonal flu vaccine each year. And that is in addition to the swine flu vaccine.
Find Flu Shots
In addition to your pediatrician, other places to look if you can't find a flu vaccine for your child might include:
- the American Lung Association web site ( www.lungusa.org ) and their online flu shot locator.
- Maxim Health Systems, a nationwide provider of flu shot clinics.
- your local or state health department (this is often your best bet to get a flu shot).
- flu shot clinics advertised at pharmacies, grocery stores, community centers, churches, office parks, shopping malls, etc.
Keep in mind that many places that offer flu shots outside a doctor's office may not give them to young children, especially if they are under four years old, so call ahead. Or see if they will give your younger child a flu shot if you have a prescription from your pediatrician.
FluMist
FluMist, the nasal spray flu vaccine will again be in good supply this year, and may be a good option for healthy people from the ages of 2 to 49 years. And because they have lowered the price to make it more competitive with flu shots, it may be a more economical option too. Plus, FluMist is an especially good option for healthy people aged 2 to 49 years who are caregivers or household contacts of infants less than 6 months old and most health care workers, as long as they don't care for severely immuno-compromised patients.
Problems Finding Flu Shots
The bottom line right now is that there shouldn't be any shortages this year, but there may be seasonal flu shot delays, so if you have an opportunity to get a flu shot for your high-risk child, take it. You might not get another chance if problems do develop as they have in the last few years. Also, since children will also have to get a swine flu vaccine in October or November, it may be a good idea to get a seasonal flu vaccine as early as possible, although they will likely be able to get both the seasonal flu vaccine and the swine flu vaccine at the same time if they have to.
If you can't find a flu shot right now, keep looking. Deliveries of flu shots usually continue through December and into February, so even doctors and clinics who don't have any flu shots right now, might get some soon. Or ask to be put on a waiting list and to be called as soon as any flu shots come in.
Influenza Vaccine Availability Tracking System
In addition to the problems manufacturing the pediatric flu shot a few years ago, as in past years, there was a problem with distributing flu shots to doctors. This is why you see some pediatricians with plenty of flu shots for all of their patients and other offices with a limited supply. Or some pediatricians with no flu shots, but a grocery store down the road having daily flu clinics for whoever wants one.
Hopefully the addition of more flu shot manufacturers will help to resolve this problem in the future, but until then, the CDC and AMA have set up the Influenza Vaccine Availability Tracking System to try and match up doctors and flu shot distributors to help make sure all flu shots are used by the patients who need them. If your pediatrician doesn't have any flu shots, you might make them aware of this service and see if he can order some.
Flu Shots:
Updated for the 2009-2010 Flu Season.
For more information, please visit our guide to Kids and the Flu.
Sources:
Prevention and Control of Seasonal Influenza with Vaccines Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), 2009. MMWR. July 24, 2009 / 58(Early Release), 1-52.
