Flu vaccine supply needs shot in the arm

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Sheri Bockbrader, a
public health nurse, prepares items to administer a flu shot at the Wood County Health Department in BG
on January 9, 2013. (Photo: Enoch Wu/Sentinel-Tribune)

Wood County Community Health and Wellness Center has run out of adult influenza vaccines, the health
district announced Wednesday.
Flu shots are still available for children age 18 and under; however, the health center is also out of
FluMist. So far, there are no plans to order additional supplies.
The department typically avoids waste by ordering a certain amount of vaccines so that the supply runs
out near the end of the season. A run on flu shots in recent weeks is likely connected with reports of
deaths in other counties, Pat Snyder, health information, education and communications manager for the
health district, acknowledged this morning.
“We’ve definitely seen an increase in the number of people coming in to get a flu shot in the last week
or so.”
Due to previously scheduled, required CPR training, no health center nurses will be available to give flu
shots through the end of today. Since October, the health center has vaccinated more than 750 adults and
700 children.
While deaths have been reported in other counties, Wood County has seen no pediatric deaths, and adult
deaths are not required to be reported. Health officials maintain this has been a typical flu season so
far in Wood County.
As of last week, there had been 52 reported cases of flu in the county, requiring eight hospitalizations.
Last year at the same time, there were 62 cases with 10 hospitalizations.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the most common strains of the flu
circulating in the United States are included in this year’s vaccine.
To obtain a vaccine or more information, contact the Wood County Community Health and Wellness Center,
located at the health district, 1840 East Gypsy Lane Road, by calling 419-354-9049 or toll-free
866-861-9338.

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