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Low supplies of flu vaccine concern Southern Illinois residents

For the past three weeks, Jackie Hines has called doctors all throughout the region trying to find flu vaccinations for her elderly parents.

When she heard shots would be distributed at two locations in Marion Thursday, she jumped at the opportunity - but that was before she was turned away from one location and forced to wait in line for more than four hours at another.

"My mother is 91, and my father is 95," Hines said. "It's just heart wrenching to see elderly people with oxygen tanks and wheelchairs sitting outside in the elements waiting for hours to get a shot. It's ridiculous."

Over the past month the flu vaccine has become a rather scarce commodity, the Chiron Corp. that was supposed to supply the United States with 46 to 48 million flu vaccine doses, was unable to deliver. Panic ensued and soon lines started to form at every local clinic across the nation, Southern Illinois was not unscathed.

Regardless of the long wait, Hines' parents were a few of the lucky ones. The Visiting Nurses Association, a mass immunizer based out of El Dorado, only distributed about 400 shots in Marion yesterday, 200 at Medicap Pharmacy and 200 at Borowiak's IGA grocery store.

Hundreds were turned away, told to go to another location in Carterville later in the day, or to try again this morning at 9 a.m. at the Fifth Third Bank, 1133 N. Carbon St. in Marion.

"It's not that we have a limited supply," said Jennifer Vinyard, VNA community relations coordinator. "We have the shots, we just don't have the time. We are scheduled back-to-back for two-hour periods all over, and we have 300 or 400 people showing up each time. People just need to come early and be patient."

The people waiting in line weren't the only ones stressed from the flu shot scramble. Marion police were dispatched to the Medicap Pharmacy early Thursday to disperse traffic, and owner Tom Miller said he has heard his fair share of chew-outs from the incident.

"People are cussing at me, saying that I need to be more compassionate," Miller said. "But to be honest, I lost two and a half hours of business. Why? Because my parking lot was blocked. Why? Because I was giving a service. Why? Because I didn't want to see 200 obits in the paper."

Things were calmer at Borowiak's Thursday afternoon. Most of the frustration was replaced with humor as old friends joked about being forced to spend too many hours together and those waiting in line thanked nurses and management for their services.

"A lot of people thanked us for the service," Miller said. "And that makes you feel really good."

While the panic surrounding the vaccine shortage is almost inevitable, officials are encouraging people to remain calm and remember that flu shots are not vital for everyone.

"In the past few years, we have done a very good job of convincing the general public that flu shots are a very good idea," said Carla Griffin, director of nursing at the Jackson County Health Department. "And not just for high-risk people, but the general public that doesn't want to miss work or be ill. We've created this demand that we can no longer fill."

The Jackson County Health Department has already exhausted its supply of 900 vaccines, but they are optimistic about getting a second shipment in December.

"Generally you don't see a lot of illness until after the holidays," Griffin said. "So if we can get some later in the year, it's still not too late to get vaccinated."

For those unable to get flu shots, Griffin said it is best to stay away from sick people, avoid touching the face and eyes and to generally take "good care of themselves."

 

 

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