If you were hoping to get a seasonal flu shot this year, you may have to wait a while. Because of the new H1N1 flu virus, manufacturers are making two different kinds of vaccines, and now seasonal flu shots are falling short on supply.
Dr. Susan Helper is a doctor of internal medicine at Mohawk Medical Group. She says several local practices are suffering from the shortage.
"We're getting calls from other doctor's offices, 'Have you gotten the flu vaccine? Do you have any extra?' And it's just not there," Helper said. She explained the small amount Mohawk Medical has received.
"We would normally get our seasonal flu vaccine in mid-September and we have received very few viles," Helper said. "We have received maybe 1/10th of what we ordered. We were just informed they would ship another few viles out this week but we will probably not get our full order that we expected and normally get."
The Department of Public Health is one of the few places in town that has the seasonal flu vaccine, but it too could run out. Other flu clinics at Rite Aid and Costco already ran out of the annual flu vaccine and have shut down for the time being.
Rite Aid had to cancel 18 of its flu clinics, and now only have two locations in Bakersfield offering the vaccine, and one location each in Taft and Delano.
"The same companies that are manufacturing the seasonal flu vaccine are also manufacturing the H1N1 flu vaccine," Dr. Claudia Jonah of the Kern County Department of Public Health explained. "So trying to do the two they aren't able to get maybe all the quantities out at the date that we need them but as the weeks pass there should be more vaccine available."
Kern County residents aren't taking the news well. "It should be available," James Tozzi said. "They should've stayed on top of it."
Fran Allen got her flu shot at work last year, but because of vaccine shortages this year, her employer isn't offering the vaccine. "They're just short this year," Allen explained. "They ordered them but they just didn't have enough to go around."
The Public Health Department says the vaccine will eventually be available to everyone, but it may just take more time than last year. There are 11 district offices throughout Kern County that are offering both the seasonal flu and H1N1 vaccine, but the health department wants people to call first to see if the vaccine they need is still available.
The phone number for the Kern County Public Health Department is (661) 868-0306
Also, the following Rite Aid stores will be providing vaccines while supplies last. Patients should call first to see if an appointment is required.
Delano, 1809 Cecil Avenue: (661) 725-1312
Taft, 1076 West Kern Street: (661) 763-3132
Bakersfield, 1425 South H Street: (661) 833-1680
Bakersfield, 100 China Grade Loop: (661) 393-3358
