Flu shots scarce in Sisters, too

Flu shots will be very hard to come by in Sisters this season.

Hundreds of Sisters area residents waited in long lines at Ray's Food Place on Sunday, October 10, at a flu shot clinic, hoping to get their shots while there were some available.

Due to contamination of some 50 percent of the vaccine doses supplied to health practitioners in the U.S., flu shots are in short supply across the nation.

High Lakes Health Care in Sisters has no vaccines at all, according to nurse Sue Humiston. She urged high-risk patients to seek a shot at flu shot clinics, which are dwindling in numbers and are also short of doses.

Bend Memorial Clinic has canceled a flu shot clinic scheduled for October 23, due to the vaccine shortage.

Bend Memorial Clinic expects to have 100 doses, which will be reserved for high-risk patients. Those patients are seniors 65 years old or older who have health conditions that make a case of the flu potentially life-threatening.

Such patients would include people with chronic heart conditions or respiratory illnesses such as asthma or emphysema.

"We don't know if we're even going to have enough to cover those people," said Dr. May Fan.

That means rationing at doctors' offices and voluntary restraint at flu shot clinics.

"Even though it's available (at flu shot clinics) healthy people should forego the shot," Dr. Fan said.

Nurse Humiston concurred.

"They also say health care providers (should get the shot) but I feel guilty," she said. "I hope the people who are healthy will defer and let the elderly and the sickly get theirs."

So great is the concern about high-risk patients that for the first time ever, the State of Oregon has invoked state law to sanction doctors and hospitals if they violate guidelines designating who should get the shots (see story this page).

A clinic will be held on Tuesday, October 19, 9 to 11:30 a.m. at Sisters Community Church. Restrictions apply (see announcement, page 16).

No more vaccines will be forthcoming. The flu vaccine takes a long time to manufacture, Dr. Fan noted, and the contamination problem led to the destruction of 50 million doses.

"It's not like someone is going to step up to the plate and start manufacturing now," she said.

Dr. Fan recommends the usual hygiene precautions to avoid catching the virus -- hand-washing is paramount.

She also said that people who exhibit flu-like symptoms -- aches and fevers, should stay home from work or school to avoid spreading the contagion.

Dr. Fan is very concerned about the shortage of vaccination doses.

"They're very important, so it's hard to say, 'No, we don't have any to give you,'" she said.

Bend Memorial Clinic will screen requests for flu shots .

Dr. Fan requests that patients do not stop by the clinic for a shot.

Those who are at higher risk shoulkd contact Bend Memorial Clinic for an appointment.

For appointments and further information call 549-0303.