Flu shots coming soon for at-risk patients.

Byline: Tim Christie The Register-Guard

Fear not, all you high-risk people who haven't yet gotten a flu shot: More vaccine is on the way.

Oregon has received 92,000 doses from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and will be distributing the vaccine to counties by the end of the week.

State officials are doling out the doses based on a formula intended to make sure vaccine is equitably distributed, state public health officer Dr. Grant Higginson said.

"This offers plenty of time for high-priority people to get vaccinated against influenza," he said. "We strongly encourage these folks to be persistent in seeking a flu shot."

But, he added, people should hold off on calling their providers until next week, after the vaccine is distributed.

Lane County Public Health will receive 6,320 of those shots and will distribute them to clinics and other health facilities that ordered the vaccine last month, said Pat Dotson, senior stores clerk with Lane County Public Health.

Most of the vaccine is going to private medical practices, but about 1,000 doses will be available at pharmacies, Dotson said.

Pharmacies at two Albertsons stores, at 4740 Royal Ave. in Eugene and 2000 Marcola Road in Springfield, will be receiving 300 doses, he said, and the Bi-Mart pharmacy at 1680 W. 18th Ave. in Eugene is getting 400 doses.

Sacred Heart Medical Center, PeaceHealth Medical Group and Springfield Family Practice are receiving vaccine as well, Dotson said.

While Lane County is not conducting any more public flu-shot clinics for adults, it does have children's flu vaccine available, Dotson said. That vaccine is dispensed at the weekly children's vaccine clinic, which takes place from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. every Wednesday at Lane County Public Health, 135 E. Sixth Ave. in Eugene.

The 92,000 doses brings Oregon's allotment of vaccine this year to about half of what was originally ordered, but the amount is about what public health officials expected to get after news of a nationwide shortage was announced, Higginson said.

Another 33,000 doses could be delivered to the state in January. But state officials will order the vaccine only if there continues to be a demand into 2005, Higginson said.

Only people at high risk for complications from influenza may get vaccinated this year. They include: children ages 6 months to 23 months; adults 65 or older; anyone ages 2 to 64 with underlying chronic medical conditions; women who will be pregnant during flu season; residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities; children 6 months to 18 years on chronic aspirin therapy; health-care workers who deliver direct patient care; and out-of-home caregivers and household contacts of children under 6 months.

FLU VACCINE

More vaccine will be available starting next week. Patients at high risk for complications from influenza should first call their health provider to check for availability. If none is available, they can call the state flu hot line at [phone] or the Lane County flu line at 682-4181.