Thanks for all of the responses. I'm afraid it's something of a moot point now...my doctor's office has cancelled its flu shot clinics, as they have not received any supplies of flu shots and are unsure whether they will receive them at all this year. My local pharmacies have also cancelled their flu shot clinics.

Guess I won't be getting a shot this year after all!

Once the dust settles there will be clinics. As many haave said, clinics have already started in the North East, so now all of a sudden there isn't any vaccine. Hate to say this, but what about the vaccine you were scheduled to use yesterday? They are holding it to see what happens to the price of it, there isn't any way they don't have it.

Well, there is some evidence that flu shots aren't very effective. And they cause complications. And people who get a lot of them are at higher risk for Altzheimers, perhaps due to heavy metals used in them. I don't know, but I never got one and won't get one.

^

Exactly. Go get the shot. A doctor will almost certainly tell you that as an asthmatic, especially with your history (flying or not), you are in a higher risk for flu-related complications than others. There are plenty of flu shot doses out there, as not all high risk people bother to go get one, so don't feel bad or guilty about getting vaccinated. It is horrible to see a young person with vulnerable lungs get serious complications from the flu and even die (this is not unheard of).

Read in paper today: last year 36,000 people died from flu - primarily older & younger.

They are encouraging those who might be susceptible to get the shot (and there are places who still have it).

And again folks - if you're btwn 18-49 you can do the inhalent (they currently have a million doses of that). Ask your doc for that instead.

Speaking only for me - never got sick from flu shot & only time I got the flu since I started getting them was the one year I didn't.

Cheers. Sharon

Great advice! The inhalant is usually available for a minimal charge. I never get the shot as I have never had the flu in my 30 years. I know a bunch of people who got the shot and got the flu anyway, too.

Actually if you got the asthma newsletter that comes out every Friday, you are considered to be in the at risk group, and they are recommending you get a shot.

There should be plenty of the inhalers to go around, they didn't sell all the ones they had last year through the shortage then, so that's another option (though it does cost twice as much as the shot did). Too bad for that company, if they could crank up production they could make a zillion dollars this season, though the news today said they were already maxed out and couldn't make more in time.

My roommate does estimates for the CDC and because he works in a hospital he's getting one but he suggests I do not for these reasons:

• My Roommate does CDC estimates, he's getting one because he works in hospitals, does not suggest I get one since I am young and not elderly, a young child, or in poor health - all of which should get priority.
• Flu shots are largely ineffective - one strain was responsible for most of the cases here in San Diego Co, and it was not mixed into the flu shot
• A Bio professor put it like this- deal with it for a few days and never get that strain of flu again.

So.. another year w/o a shot.. and I don't think i'll miss much, even if I get it.. I can manage for a couple of weeks at the very latest.

Absolutely get the shot. Keep in mind, if you have allergic reaction to eggs, talk to your doctor first.

I can't believe that there is a shortage in the US because a British company screwed it up. I wonder why American pharmaceutical companies aren't making the vaccine. I wonder what governmental restrictions are in place which prevents a pharmaceutical company from producing enough supply to meet the demand. Clearly there is a demand for the vaccine.

My understanding is that it's not regulations that stops american pharmaceutical companies from making this vaccine, it's the profit margin. It's more financially rewarding to make drugs rather than vaccines, particularly as manufacturing the flu vaccine is such a "compressed" venture (i.e. a large quantity of vaccine to be made in the short period of time from when the CDC decides which strains need to go into the vaccine, to the time of delivery). I saw something very funny in the newspaper this morning: the editorial was complaining about British government having the power to control the U.S. vaccine supply, but failing to acknowledge that it was better to impound contaminated vaccine than let it be supplied!

I have a similar situation with asthma and bronchitis often the result if I get the flu. I'm not sure if that officially puts me in the "high risk" category, but given the amount I travel and the chance of coming into contact with it, after some soul searching I think it's appropriate to get the shot.

I've never done flu shots and never will. In fact, I know someone perfectly healthy who, one year, got the shots, and then got severely ill for a week immediately after. His experience may be limited, but I know vaccines are - ironically - immunosuppressive.

Asthma puts you in the 'high risk' catagory.

I agree. If drug reimportation is such a bad idea, then IMO US pharmaceutical companies should be preparing the vaccine. I have the same questions you do, Analise.

If I had just jumped three days earlier, I'd have gotten my shot. Now I'm out of luck like everyone else.

The Flu shot is a Hype. :rolleyes: