While the state Health Department has recommended rationing remaining flu vaccine to people most at risk of becoming seriously ill from the flu, the Snohomish Health District will continue to give the shot to anyone who comes to its clinics as long as supplies last.
But they may have to wait a long time.
An estimated 950 people got shots at the public health agency’s Everett and Lynnwood clinics on Wednesday, with the wait averaging one to two hours, spokeswoman Suzanne Pate said.
The health district plans to go ahead with a walk-in clinic 1-4 p.m. today in Lynnwood, Pate said. Anyone interested in either the adult or pediatric shot should check the health district’s Web site, www.snohd.org, for an update after 8 a.m.
"It’s day-to-day; we’re uncertain of the future vaccine supply," Pate said.
The countywide public health agency is providing the shots to all comers because "we believe almost all high-risk persons were vaccinated during October and November," health officer Dr. M. Ward Hinds said.
Many area medical clinics say supplies are depleted.
"We’re technically out," said Cynthia Scanlon, spokeswoman for The Everett Clinic.
The clinic’s small remaining supply is reserved for patients who have already made appointments.
The state Health Department can only recommend how remaining flu vaccine is used, spokesman Donn Moyer said.
Those most at risk include people 50 and older, women in the second or third trimester of pregnancy, anyone with chronic heart disease or breathing problems such as asthma, children 6 to 23 months old and nursing home residents.
With Washington one of 13 states where flu is classified as widespread, the state has asked the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for help in obtaining additional supplies of adult vaccine.
"They expressed some belief that there’s some (vaccine) that could be redistributed … to states where the flu is widespread," Moyer said. "I suspect we’ll get some. It probably won’t be much, and who knows if more will be coming after that."
Generally, people who want the shot but can’t get it shouldn’t panic, he said.
"Healthy people in their young to middle years are the least likely to suffer complications from influenza," Moyer said.
This is expected to be a record-breaking year for the number of Americans getting the shots, he said.
The state Health Department received more than three times the amount of pediatric vaccine this year — 95,000 doses — than in the previous two years, Moyer said. And an additional 7,000-shot shipment was delivered in November.
"All vaccine has been shipped," he said. "We don’t have any."
Reporter Sharon Salyer: 425-339-3486 or salyer@heraldnet.com.
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