Public Health announces plan to distribute flu vaccine

KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON - Today, Public Health - Seattle & King County is announcing that King County will receive approximately 38,000 doses of adult flu vaccine during the next six weeks from Washington state’s 162,000 dose allotment, all part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) national distribution of the last remaining vaccine. Public Health also has received approximately 22,000 doses through its own orders and redistribution.

“Our goal now is to make sure that the vaccine gets to people throughout King County at high-risk for severe influenza,” said Dr. Alonzo Plough, Director and Health Officer at Public Health - Seattle & King County. “Because of our extensive survey of flu vaccine supplies and needs, we have been able to develop a balanced, equitable distribution plan for the vaccine we have and expect to receive.”

Since the national flu vaccine shortage was announced in early October, Public Health has been assessing the supply and need of flu vaccine among those who vaccinate groups prioritized for influenza vaccine this season. Public Health has surveyed all 84 long-term care facilities (nursing homes), all major hospitals, all 32 community and public health centers, and over 200 medical organizations and physician practices. Public Health also has limited information on health care organizations that specialize in holding public flu clinics in this region.

In coming weeks Public Health will distribute influenza vaccine doses in the following way:

Nursing homes and long-term care facilities	11,000 doses
Public flu clinics by health care organizations	15,000 doses
Medical organizations and physician practices	20,000 doses
Safety net providers, including community and public health clinics	12,000 doses
Hospitals	2,000 doses

For updated information on the flu season and vaccine availability, visit Public Health’s flu season web site www.metrokc.gov/health/immunization/fluseason.htm or call Public Health flu vaccine hotline at 206-296-1100. Public Health will continue to keep residents of King County updated regarding the flu season and the flu vaccine supply.

Public flu clinics are being organized in King County by two health care organizations. For information on these public flu clinics:

GetAFluShot.com: call 1-888-536-6900 or GetAFluShot.com

PreventionMD: call 425-739-0700 or 1-800-346-4915 or PreventionMD.com

Vaccine for high-risk children

“For its part, the supply of children’s vaccine is quite good,” said Plough. “We expect to vaccinate more children in our community this year than last year. Families of children at highest risk of flu complications should stay in touch with their health care providers as additional vaccine becomes available in coming weeks.”

With the federal Vaccines for Children (VFC) program, Public Health has received 48,000 doses this year. Last year 33,000 doses from Vaccines for Children were distributed and used by over 300 health care providers and Public Health centers in King County.

This year all doses from VFC will go to children in the high-risk categories. Families may want to check with their health care provider or a Public Health center about availability of child vaccine and to schedule appointments.

High risk groups

In October, Public Health issued a health order to assure that all flu vaccine in King County goes to the eight groups at high risk of flu complications:

all children aged 6-23 months

adults aged 65 years and older

persons aged 2-64 years with underlying chronic medical conditions

all women who will be pregnant during influenza season

residents of nursing homes and long-term care facilities

children 6 months -18 years of age on chronic aspirin therapy

health-care workers with direct patient care

out-of-home caregivers and household contacts of children aged less than 6 months

In King County, some doses of FluMist live attenuated intranasal vaccine are also available for the following groups:

healthy persons 5-49 years of age and who are not pregnant

health care workers, except for those who care for severely immunocompromised patients such as bone marrow transplant patients in special care units

out-of-home caregivers or household contacts of children less than 6 months of age

household contacts of persons in a priority group for vaccination because of a chronic underlying medical condition, with the exception of household contacts of severely immunocompromised patients, such as bone marrow transplant recipients

Check with your health care provider or local pharmacy about how to get the FluMist vaccine.

Wash hands, cover cough

Public Health recommends to all members of the public that there are other ways to minimize your risk for getting the flu:

avoid close contact with other people who have respiratory infections and colds

stay home from work and school and avoid contact with other people when you are ill

cover your coughs and sneezes with tissue

wash hands or use an alcohol-based hand gel frequently and after touching your nose and mouth

If you do develop an illness, contact your health care provider for advice about possible evaluation or treatment.

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