Health departments set priorities for flu shots

By Warren King
Seattle Times medical reporter

	MATT WALLIS / AP Registered nurse Maryl Skjei of the Skagit County Health Department gives Darius Angel, 2, a flu shot recently in Mount Vernon while Darius' uncle, Daniel Thomas, holds him.
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"It seems prudent to prioritize the doses we do have. ... It appears our supplies are dwindling," state Health Officer Maxine Hayes said yesterday.

Notices were being e-mailed last night to health officers statewide recommending that the most vulnerable receive the shots as the flu season continues its early start. King County health officers also are recommending the measure.

Physicians, clinics and vaccine suppliers said yesterday they were nearing the end of their supplies after weeks of heavy demand, especially over the past several days. Only three public-health clinics in King County were offering the shots for high-risk adults; the rest are for children, who are being particularly hard hit.

Those at risk include: children 6 months to 2 years; anybody 6 months or older with chronic lung, heart or kidney problems or impaired immune systems; children on long-term aspirin therapy; residents of long-term-care facilities; anyone 50 and up; women more than three months' pregnant and health-care workers. People in frequent contact with those at risk also should be immunized.

To get a flu shot Public Health — Seattle & King County Limited vaccines available only for children and adults at high risk for complications. Hotline: 206-296-4949 For children's appointments, call any Public Health clinic. Locations on hotline or at http://www.metrokc.gov/health/ sts_svs/immuniz.htm For adults at high risk for complications, beginning tomorrow, call a clinic at Federal Way, Eastgate or North Seattle. Group Health Cooperative Vaccine available for high-risk children of members. 800-292-0085 GetAFluShot.com Vaccine available for anyone age 12 and older and adults. Two clinics this weekend. 888-536-6900 or www.getaflushot.com Snohomish Health District Walk-in clinic, 1-3:30 p.m. today at 3020 Rucker Ave., Everett. Up to two-hour wait. Walk-in clinic, 1-4 p.m., tomorrow, Lynnwood Clinic, 6101 200th St. S.W. For more information, 425-775-3522 or www.snohd.org

Julie Gerberding, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said yesterday the agency is considering obtaining vaccine from Europe, where it is manufactured under the same standards as in the United States.

Hayes said the CDC also is surveying health departments nationwide to see if vaccine can be redirected from areas that are less affected by the flu. Washington is one of 13 states that have been hit hardest.

"I don't know if we've seen a peak in cases yet. ... We need more time to see if it's at its height or on the decline," said Hayes.

Authorities are concerned because the virus targeted by this year's vaccine has changed slightly since the vaccine was developed. But the CDC said the shot should offer relatively good protection against the variant, H3N2 Fujian, which is the predominant strain being found in patients.

Health officials said no laboratory-confirmed deaths from influenza have been reported in the state. But flu may have contributed to the deaths of at least three elderly Yakima County residents who had positive "quick" tests for the disease. The new tests are considered reliable when the patient has symptoms and the disease is widespread. The death of a 29-year-old Snohomish County resident, who also had a positive quick test, also is under investigation.

Children's Hospital & Regional Medical Center officials said eight children are hospitalized with the disease, including one in intensive care. More than 70 patients seriously ill with flu complications have been treated in the past two months, compared with 60 for all of last year.

Dr. Jeff Duchin, director of communicable disease control for Public Health — Seattle & King County, said certain people who are healthy may want to consider immunization with FluMist, a new vaccine given in a nasal spray. Because it contains a weakened, live virus, it is recommended only for those between 5 and 50 and not for people with immune deficiency, asthma, chronic diseases of the heart, lung, other disorders, or for pregnant women. A physician should be consulted about its use.

Yesterday, some clinics already were restricting who got shots with the conventional vaccine, made with dead flu virus.

Group Health Cooperative was scheduling vaccinations only for children at high risk of complications. Adults with the risks are asked to seek another source.

Prevention M.D., which annually conducts nearly 1,000 clinics in the Northwest, had only 100 doses of vaccine left yesterday.

Steve Allred, of GetAFluShot.com, said two clinics are scheduled in Seattle this weekend for anyone over age 12. But he said, "We have very, very small quantities."

The Snohomish Health District scheduled a walk-in immunization clinic this afternoon at its downtown Everett clinic. Officials were taking inventory last night to see if there will be restrictions on who gets shots.

Warren King: 206-464-2247 or wking@seattletimes.com

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