FLU-SHOTS SHORTAGE WORRIES COUNTY.

Byline: Dana Bartholomew and Troy Anderson Staff Writer

With the nation's flu vaccine supply cut in half, health officials scrambled Thursday to determine how to get more more supplies to high-risk groups - namely young children and older adults.

Dr. Jonathan E. Fielding, Los Angeles County's public health officer, said more than half of the doses destined for Los Angeles doctors, pharmacies and clinics have been curtailed, and he expressed concern that some of the vaccines might not be going to the neediest patients.

``We are in the process of trying to decide what to do, given the limited supply that we have,'' Fielding said. ``We are trying to secure more, hoping to get delivery of another 26,000 doses.''

Although the county had ordered 130,000 to 160,000 doses, it has received just 21,000. Fielding has scheduled a news conference for today to discuss the county's plans for dealing with the shortage.

``We are concerned that some of the vaccine may not be going to the highest-risk groups,'' Fielding added. ``Our message to all providers, pharmacy companies and private practitioners is to reserve what you have for the highest-risk groups.

``We want to ensure that the highest-risk groups come first.''

On Thursday, seniors and others lined up at scheduled flu-shot clinics across Los Angeles. Many said they were unable to get shots from family doctors.

``I'm afraid they'll run out,'' said Fran Sarfaty, 71, who stood with her husband in an hourlong line at a Sav-on in Canoga Park, which had 200 vials of the vaccine.

``(My insurer) keeps saying they'll get it in the middle of the month, but we just wanted to be sure to get our shots.''

Meanwhile, Kaiser Permanente, the state's largest health maintenance organization, expects to receive less than half of its vaccine order for Southern California, officials said. At least 700,000 Southland patients who usually get shots must make do with 350,000 doses administered to at-risk patients.

``We're not doing as well as we liked in Southern California,'' said Dr. Stanley Shapiro, chairman of Kaiser Permanente's Regional Adult Immunization Task Force. ``We expect we'll use all the vaccine we've got.

``I don't think it'll get everybody. No, I think people will be left out in the cold.''

Kaiser's clinics will start Oct. 18, and officials are asking only the highest-risk patients to seek shots.

Meanwhile, the House Government Reform Committee will hold an emergency hearing today into why the vaccine supply was interrupted.

Flu vaccine supplies have become tenuous in recent years. But it was the shutdown of vaccine production at Chiron Corp., in Great Britain, that has slashed supplies across the United States.

High-risk patients depend on flu shots because the injections are made of killed influenza virus. Another option, FluMist, made from live but weakened influenza virus, is available for healthy 5- to 49-year-olds.

Of the 36,000 people nationwide who die of the flu each year, about 1,000 to 1,100 die in Los Angeles County.

The county Department of Health Services estimates the high-risk population in Los Angeles County to be 2.8 million, of which about half come forward for their annual vaccine.

Pharmacies, hospitals, clinics and doctors in the county will receive 1.8 million flu-vaccine doses this year, down from the 3.5 million normally received, according to the agency, which believes that a higher percentage of the high-risk people might come forward to get the vaccine because of all the publicity.

Many area doctors said they were fortunate to get supplies.

``We're lucky,'' said Dr. Christopher Tolcher, a pediatrician in West Hills with 1,000 doses on hand. ``We're trying as much as possible to save the doses for high-risk people.

``At this point, we're not refusing anybody, but it may come to it.''

Dana Bartholomew, [phone]

dana.bartholomew(at)dailynews.com

THE DETAILS

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends flu shots for children from 6 to 23 months old; adults 65 years old and up; pregnant women; people with chronic medical conditions; residents of nursing homes and long-term care centers; health care workers involved in direct patient care; and out-of-home caregivers of children less than 6 months old.

Doctors also advise that those who don't get shots avoid sneezing or coughing on others, wash their hands frequently and avoid going to work if sick.

For information on upcoming flu-shot clinics, call the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services information line at [phone], or First5LAconnect at [phone].

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Photo:

Patient Randall DuBois, 7, of Simi Valley gets a flu shot from Dr. Kathryn Stiles in West Hills on Thursday.

David Sprague/Staff Photographer

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THE DETAILS (see text)