In flu season, US runs out of vaccine

Doctors, clinics and health departments around the country have started running out of flu vaccine, as Americans rush to protect themselves ...

Doctors, clinics and health departments around the country have started running out of flu vaccine, as Americans rush to protect themselves against what appears to be one of the nastiest flu seasons in years, officials said Monday.

As supplies dwindle, health providers have begun to ration the shots, giving priority to those most vulnerable — the young, the elderly and the sick. ‘‘We’re getting calls from practitioners who are running out of vaccine,’’ said Margaret Rennels, who chairs the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Infectious Diseases.

Federal health officials were assessing how much vaccine remained nationwide, and helping to shift supplies to places that had exhausted their stocks. Shortages were reported by more than one-third of 538 local and county health departments that responded to a survey by the National Association of County and City Health Officials. The shortages follow last week’s announcement by the two companies that produce flu shots, that they had shipped their entire inventories — 83 million doses.

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Flu has been reported coast to coast, and at least 13 states, mostly in the west, have already reported widespread cases. Colorado is suffering the worst outbreak, with authorities on Monday confirming that eight children had died since the season began last month.

The intense flu season is being fuelled by a new strain of the virus. The Fujian strain appears to be unusually virulent and was not included in this year’s vaccine, although tests show the shots may still offer some protection. —LAT-WP

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