Irony – now there could be a glut of flu vaccines…
13 Dec 2009
With some of the at times heated discussion we had here on who should be able to get the H1N1 vaccine, comes this from WTOL, Officials worry they may have flu vaccine surplus:
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – Some central Ohio health officials are concerned they may end up with a surplus of swine flu vaccine as public interest wanes.
It’s a surprising development after many of the same officials were worried there wouldn’t be enough vaccine. Beginning this week, everyone at least 6 months old will be eligible to get the vaccine. But health officials are worried they will be left holding on to the vaccine because of the holidays and waning interest.
What, didn’t the Health Officials win at scaring everyone to death and citizens do not believe them//
Why would anyone believe them about anything whatsoever with all the lastest news from Health Officials and the Government!!
December 13th, 2009 at 7:55 pmThey were worried about not having enough and now they’re worried about having too much. I hate to be the one to say it, but I would rather have too much of a vaccine than not enough.
Also since they’ve been calling everything you get since early fall the swine flu when you call up sick most people probably think they’ve already gotten it and now have some natural immunities.
December 14th, 2009 at 9:57 amWhat is scary is that because of the increased production of the H1N1 vaccine, companies did not produce enough regular flu vaccines. I wonder when we will start to see the numbers coming in that the regular flu killed a higher percentage of people this year for lack of proper vaccinations.
December 14th, 2009 at 10:01 amWhy didn’t you post the rest of the story from the WTOL website:
“Franklin County Health Commissioner Susan Tilgner said hundreds of thousands of high-risk people haven’t been vaccinated, and would be vulnerable if a more severe wave of the flu hits this winter.
Columbus Health Commissioner Dr. Teresa Long is encouraging people to look for vaccines at pharmacies and drug stores ahead of holiday gatherings.”
DD BOOTS,
There have been over 2,000 confirmed H1N1 deaths in the US. 71% of those (1445) occurred in only the last three months.
December 14th, 2009 at 10:02 amAlso, the CDC estimates the number of actual deaths in the US since April is more like 10,000.
Also, while overall swine flu activity is down, the death rate is WAY, WAY up due to a deadlier, possibly vaccine-resistant, form of H1N1 that attacks the lungs.
This thing is far from over.
Craig, that’s why I share a link, the discussion before centered on the fact that some that were not considered high risk were not able to get the vaccine and that there was not enough vaccine, as well as government officials were given the vaccine at their offices instead of having to wait in line.
The fact that those who are considered high risk did not get the vaccine is the factor, however it was not claimed too much vaccine was made.
It’s considered bad form to include all of the material, unless it’s a very short news brief. So I included what was relevant to the past discussions.
December 14th, 2009 at 10:08 amOf course with all the stories coming out like H1N1 Swine Flu Less Severe Than Feared
Granted most of the news makers were counting on it mutating in to a more deadly form but that hasn’t happened yet.
December 14th, 2009 at 10:21 amCraig – The Unoriginal Says:
“There have been over 2,000 confirmed H1N1 deaths in the US. 71% of those (1445) occurred in only the last three months.”
The regular flu kills about 35,000 per year.
December 14th, 2009 at 10:28 amDoug – the link you sent is from October. It was probably true back then, but seasonal shots are becoming more common again.
One of the problems they had in October was that a lot people (including myself) got our seasonal shots ealier then normal.
Here is something a bit more current.
http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/12/13/VACCINEFORALL_seasonal_sideb.ART_ART_12-13-09_A4_4IFVR67.html?sid=101
December 14th, 2009 at 12:22 pmSensorG,
So they are starting to become available in the middle of December. Considering that the recommended time to get flu shots is October and into November make the article I previously posted still hold true, hence why I used it.
I can tell you from personal experience that my work sent an email that they were not providing flu shots because of shortage and my brothers work did the same. So there has been two months of full on flu season and according to your article these vaccines are just NOW becoming available but not fully yet. I hold to my previous statement that I believe there will be a higher number of deaths for regular flu because of a lack of flu shots due to ramped up H1N1 vaccines. There will be unintended consequences to the scare of H1N1.
December 14th, 2009 at 12:40 pmSo it begins Doug
The reason there was a shortage was that a lot of people got them ealier then normal.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/health/bal-te.flu24oct24,0,3209936.story
ATLANTA — – More Americans have been vaccinated against seasonal flu this fall than ever before by this time of year, federal health officials said Friday.
Sixty million people have gotten the winter flu vaccine – probably because they’re paying more attention to flu warnings in general, as a result of swine flu. It’s an unprecedented number of seasonal flu shots for October; most usually aren’t given until later in the fall.
Part of it is due to supply: There are already 85 million doses of seasonal flu vaccine available, a much larger amount than usual for this early in the fall. Most years, roughly 100 million doses are used during the season.
December 14th, 2009 at 12:59 pmOK,
December 14th, 2009 at 1:28 pmSo demand when up, and supply wasn’t there to match it. People who do not normally get the flu vaccine got it because they were scared by all the scare from H1N1. This depleted the normal stores of regular flu shots and now the people who normally get it because they are high risk are/were in more trouble by the lack. I don’t see how this really changes what I was saying before but I will concede that my original interpretation was off.