Flu vaccine shortage hits the coast By MATT KAPKO Half Moon Bay Review October 13, 2004 Officials across the globe are grappling with a shortage of flu vaccine and healthcare providers on the coast are reeling from the news. Four public flu shot clinics scheduled to take place Oct. 30 through Nov. 20 at Longs Drug Store in the Strawflower Shopping Center have been canceled due to the shortage. Coastsiders wanting a flu shot now have limited options available to them, and only those who meet stringent criteria are eligible to receive the shot at public facilities. And they're not alone. A nurse at Seton Medical Center Coastside who wished to remain anonymous said the hospital didn't even have shots available for the nursing staff, which is its first priority followed by long-term care patients. The Coastside Family Medical Center has 700 to 800 flu shots available for residents who meet the criteria that it's administering by appointment only, said Dana Shaw, director of development and community relations at CFMC. "Here at CFMC, we received our flu vaccinations from the other major manufacturer in the United States, Aventis. Luckily, we are prepared," she wrote in an e-mail to the Review. "However, we do anticipate and plan to cooperate with other clinics and entities serving high-risk populations to ensure that Coastsiders are adequately protected," she added. An epidemic of panic was caused by news out of Emeryville. One of the country's two largest suppliers of flu vaccinations, the East Bay's Chiron Corporation, had its license suspended because of contamination at a production facility. The company, which manufactures the flu shots in Liverpool, England, was expected to ship 48 million doses but all of that vaccine has been lost. Rival Aventis Pasteur expects to ship 55.4 million doses. Seton Medical Center Coastside doesn't typically have flu shots available for the general public, but in past years when there's been a surplus they've made the shots available. The Seton nurse said the hospital was still waiting to receive its order, although it isn't clear if and when it will be delivered. "Since we're such a small organization I think we're last on their list," she said. The flu shot for the 2004-2005 season is designed to fight off the Fujian, New Caledonia and Shanghai strains. Home