County still has vaccine

The Lake County Health Department has a surplus of flu shots thanks to a redistribution of vaccine from the French firm Aventis Pasteur after the county's supplier shut down.

The department has 467 doses of adult flu vaccine left after they administered 133 during a clinic on Tuesday, Dec. 21. Only one person has been diagnosed with the flu so far this season in Lake County, but the season has just begun, said health services director Linda Davis.

"It's been a little slow so far," said Davis. "Flathead County has had a few cases this year. We had quite a lot last year."

Concern over flu incidence in the past along with the supply shortage worried some community health providers about the county's ability to provide for high-risk patients. But Flathead County shared some vaccine with Lake County to allow those in nursing homes and hospitals to become inoculated.

Lake County ordered their vaccine from Chiron, a pharmaceutical manufacturer in Great Britain that subsequently closed down their plant because of concerns with contamination. The department dispenses roughly 1,300 doses a year, so medical providers across the board have had to deal with shortages, said Davis.

"We prioritized our needs: those over age 65, afflicted with a chronic medical condition, and kids were considered our high-risk groups," said Davis.

Last Tuesday's clinic offered shots for those considered high-risk from noon to 4 p.m., without concern for age, occupation, or prior health history. All other were welcome from 4 to 6 p.m.

"The Indian population felt very good about their supply," Davis said of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. And overall, there does not appear to be much danger of a shortage after the influx from Aventis Pasteur.

The department is continuing to offer flu shots, which are $18 per person. Medicare covers the expense for those who qualify.