FALL FESTIVAL CLINIC FOR FLU SHOTS IS OFF.

Byline: Daily News

PALMDALE - Antelope Valley Hospital has canceled its free flu shot clinic planned Saturday at the Palmdale Fall Festival as a result of the national flu vaccination shortage.

With half the flu vaccine destined for the United States scrapped Tuesday because of tainted manufacturing processes at its British manufacturer, Antelope Valley Hospital will reserve the small supply it has on hand for its employees who directly care for patients, an announcement said.

``Should the shortage be alleviated and we receive an adequate shipment of the flu vaccine, we will announce it to the community at that time,'' hospital pharmacy director Rick Rowe said in the hospital statement.

Most people who need flu shots should be able to get them through their doctors, hospital officials said.

Health officials said limited supplies will have to be rationed, targeting the elderly, toddlers, pregnant women and those with heart and lung disease, diabetes or other chronic ailments and immune deficiencies, rather than healthy adults and children over age 2.

Los Angeles County health officials said they expect to decide today about what to do about the flu shot clinics they normally host at senior citizen centers and elsewhere.

Of the 130,000 doses Los Angeles County health officials expected to receive this year, 100,000 were to come from Chiron Corp., whose Liverpool plant was shut down by British regulators, preventing shipment of its Fluvirin vaccine. Only one other company, Aventis Pasteur, mass-produces the vaccine.

Los Angeles County ordered 30,000 doses from the other manufacturer, but has only received 15,000 so far.

Flu vaccinations are recommended for people age 65 years and older, children age six months to 23 months, pregnant women and people with heart disease, asthma, and other chronic heart and lung disorders, diabetes, kidney diseases, blood disorders, metabolic and immunosuppression disorders.

Flu shots are also recommended for nursing home residents, people who take care of infants under age 6 months, and health care workers.