Another Flu Shot Shortage?

By Matt Wood in News on Nov 8, 2005 4:58PM

The supply of flu shots may be running short again this year. While officials aren't concerned about a mass shortage like last year, in which only about half of the expected doses were shipped to the United States, there have been some reports of short supplies in the Chicago area.

Normally four to six manufacturers produce flu shots for the US. Last year, because one of the primary suppliers in the UK was shut down unexpectedly, just two companies shipped doses to the States, causing the major shortage. Only children, the elderly, and congressmen could get shots last year, while pregnant women resorted to getting shots in the parking lot from a doctor friend who smuggled it of the hospital (Chicagoist won't name names, but let's say we know this person very well). Existing manufacturers can't ramp up their production to compensate for the loss of another supplier because the number of doses and means for distributing them are carefully planned and protected by the government's patented 42 Layers of Bureaucracy (now in Gel-Cap form). This year, 82 percent of the planned doses from four suppliers have already been delivered, so any shortages are likely just short-term local problems.

The city is still offering free shots at 40 walk-in clinics. Walgreen's is cutting its vaccination program short by two weeks, but some Dominick's and Osco locations offer shots for $25. Of course, your doctor probably has the goods too, so get your sniffly butt down there and get a shot, wash your hands, and damnit, stop sneezing on us.