Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, October 29, 1993 TAG: 9310290365
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: CAROLYN CLICK STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Officials say the campaign by the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Medicare's decision to provide free flu shots for Americans 65 and older, are boosting interest in the protective shots - and depleting some area supplies.
"We have given just about all of our vaccine," said Linda French, district nurse manager for the Alleghany Health District, which includes the health departments of Roanoke, Botetourt, Craig and Alleghany counties and the cities of Covington and Clifton Forge.
"We ordered based on what we used this previous year, not anticipating the publicity or the push from the CDC to get it early," she said. With 50 million doses manufactured this year, there is plenty of vaccine available on the market, although the cost of resupplying will be greater, said French.
So far, Roanoke is the only locality that has reported cases of influenza in the area. Sandra Fleeman, public health nurse and coordinator of the department's immunization program, said there have been three clinically diagnosed cases, which means doctors have made the diagnosis by symptom, not by culturing the virus.
The city has done a booming business in flu shots so far, holding clinics inside the health department and at locations outside the department.
Private doctors also report a surge in requests for the vaccine.
"Probably in the last two weeks, I have given 1,000 flu shots," said Fleeman. Thursday, she ordered 500 more doses of the vaccine because of depleted supplies.
Dr. Margaret Robinson, health director for the New River Health District, said her department has vaccinated 2,445 people so far this season, including 1,000 in Montgomery County. The New River district includes the counties of Montgomery, Floyd, Giles and Pulaski, and Radford.
"We have been having a lot of them coming in," said Robinson, with the numbers up from last year. She said there is still plenty of the vaccine available in her area.
In Montgomery County, public health nurse Queen Alexander said her department holds clinics inside businesses to ensure broad coverage of the area.
In Salem, the city health department has immunized 150 people, said Anna Kennedy, public health nurse supervisor.
The CDC believes three viruses, including a new "Beijing" version of Type A, which is likely to be the most severe, will dominate this season.
The Beijing version is similar to the type of flu that plagued people in 1992. This year's vaccine also is designed to protect against the "Texas" Type A strain and a "Panama" Type B strain.
The flu generally strikes between November and March, laying its victims low with fever, sore throat, aching joints, coughs and severe malaise.
Two weeks ago, the CDC also urged early inoculation, preferably by the end of October, because of the season's predicted early onset.
The CDC and state Health Department recommend vaccinations for people 65 and older, those with chronic medical conditions or weakened immune systems, and adults and children with chronic disorders of the pulmonary or cardiovascular systems, including children with asthma.
Those in frequent contact with high-risk populations, such as health-care workers and volunteer care givers, also are urged to get the shots.
Those in the general population who simply wish to reduce their risk of becoming infected also are routinely immunized.
Health officials say there is little chance of getting sick from the shot, because the vaccine, made from egg-grown virus, is a "dead" or inactivated virus.
Some may have a sore arm, and 5 percent to 10 percent may develop a headache or low fever.
Many also have been leery of annual flu shots for fear of contracting Guillain-Barre syndrome, a temporary paralysis that was associated with the 1976 swine flu vaccine. But officials say that threat is now remote, because the vaccine is prepared from other virus strains.
Costs for shots generally range from $10 at health departments to $15 to $Department 20 at private doctors' offices.
by CNB