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University of Portland
Issue date: 9/24/09
Monday, the University Health Center's flu immunization clinic ran out of seasonal flu shots.
Consequently, today's vaccination clinic that was scheduled from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. is canceled.
Typically, the university administers approximately 250 flu shots during flu season, according to Paul Myers, director of the University Health Center.
The health center placed its order for 280 shots last spring, he said, basing its estimates on the fact that, last year, there was a surplus of seasonal flu vaccinations at UP.
However, this year, the news about swine flu changed everything.
"Over the summer, when H1N1 didn't go away, public health officials predicted that there would be greater desire for an attention to seasonal flu shots because there was going to be such an increase in the desire for H1N1 shots," Myers said.
Because of this concern, the University placed an order for 120 additional shots, but the health center is still on the waiting list to receive them.
Myers is hopeful that 80 more shots from the spring order will arrive within the next two weeks, and that the remaining 120 will arrive before the flu season does.
"During the summer we were told supplies for seasonal flu shots were plenty and there would be no supply problem," Myers said. "It looks like to me that the private retail market was able to siphon out some of the resources."
In a typical year, the 200 vaccinations the health center has given out would have been sufficient.
Typically, the health center provides for 5 percent of the school population to be vaccinated. This year, Myers is planning for 10 percent.
News of the seasonal vaccine shortage traveled mostly by word-of-mouth, but the University issued a campus-wide e-mail from Myers late Wednesday afternoon.
The e-mail attributed the shortage to "the combination of high demand and a slow distribution network for vaccines."
The e-mail also said it would notify the UP community when the rest of the seasonal vaccination order was delivered, and that flyers listing alternative vaccine providers were available at the health center.
Continued...
Issue date: 9/24/09
Monday, the University Health Center's flu immunization clinic ran out of seasonal flu shots.
Consequently, today's vaccination clinic that was scheduled from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. is canceled.
Typically, the university administers approximately 250 flu shots during flu season, according to Paul Myers, director of the University Health Center.
The health center placed its order for 280 shots last spring, he said, basing its estimates on the fact that, last year, there was a surplus of seasonal flu vaccinations at UP.
However, this year, the news about swine flu changed everything.
"Over the summer, when H1N1 didn't go away, public health officials predicted that there would be greater desire for an attention to seasonal flu shots because there was going to be such an increase in the desire for H1N1 shots," Myers said.
Because of this concern, the University placed an order for 120 additional shots, but the health center is still on the waiting list to receive them.
Myers is hopeful that 80 more shots from the spring order will arrive within the next two weeks, and that the remaining 120 will arrive before the flu season does.
"During the summer we were told supplies for seasonal flu shots were plenty and there would be no supply problem," Myers said. "It looks like to me that the private retail market was able to siphon out some of the resources."
In a typical year, the 200 vaccinations the health center has given out would have been sufficient.
Typically, the health center provides for 5 percent of the school population to be vaccinated. This year, Myers is planning for 10 percent.
News of the seasonal vaccine shortage traveled mostly by word-of-mouth, but the University issued a campus-wide e-mail from Myers late Wednesday afternoon.
The e-mail attributed the shortage to "the combination of high demand and a slow distribution network for vaccines."
The e-mail also said it would notify the UP community when the rest of the seasonal vaccination order was delivered, and that flyers listing alternative vaccine providers were available at the health center.
Continued...
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