Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Flu vaccine update August 2014

     The current recommendation is that everyone 6 months and above receive an annual influenza (flu) vaccine each year unless they have a medical contraindication (such as immunodeficiency or anaphylaxis to eggs). We have ordered the flu vaccine for at least 24 years. We order the vaccine the Winter before it is needed. We typically receive the FluMist (nasal spray for 2 years and above in children who do not have asthma or other high-risk-for-complications-with-influenza-illness medical conditions) in mid-August. And the flu shot typically within a few weeks later. We generally then routinely give the vaccine at visits to the office and walk-in flu vaccine clinics until our supply is gone, usually late November or after.
     Although we have ordered the vaccine in our usual way and they did not change the vaccine from last year (same 4 strains of influenza virus in the vaccine), our supply has been significantly delayed. We do not have any control over the vaccine being sent to us. We have yet to receive the injection (flu shot) vaccine -- honestly, we are grumpy about this -- especially when the large pharmacies in town have the flu vaccine. However, we are happy to say we just had our FluMist vaccine arrive today (8-27-14).
     We will update the website and Facebook page as we get updates and receive the flu shot. We still expect that our patients will be able to receive the vaccine in an appropriate time this year through our office. However, if your child has the opportunity to receive the vaccine somewhere else and needs the flu shot  -- health department, Nationwide Children's Hospital specialty clinic, or pharmacy -- that is fine.
     We will await the flu shot being available in the office before scheduling our flu vaccine clinics. We anticipate starting them September or October. 

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