CHC assures it has enough flu vaccine

The Commonwealth Health Center has enough flu vaccines to protect high-risk individuals in the Commonwealth this year, according to the Department of Public Health.

In an interview yesterday, DPH Secretary Dr. James U. Hofschneider disclosed that about 2,800 doses of flu vaccine are expected to be available to protect high-risk individuals.

Hofschneider said the Commonwealth has already received over 600 doses this year, while another 1,500 is expected to arrive in the next week. Another 700 doses would be received later this month.

The nation’s supply of vaccines were cut in half after British regulators unexpectedly shut down a major U.S. vaccine provider, Chiron Corp., two weeks ago, freezing shipment of up to 48 million expected flu shots.

Hofschneider said the number of doses expected to arrive would be sufficient to treat only high-risks individuals, as well as caregivers.

“We have to live with the reality of the supply available,” he said. “If your resources are limited, you have to make the most of it, and give it to the people that need it the most.”

High-risk individuals include patients on hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis, all adults with advanced diabetes, as well as complications of diabetes, including blindness and kidney disease, and all adults with serious lung or heart disease. Others include adults over the age of 65 years, pregnant women, and adults with mild or controlled diabetes.

“The idea is to target the people who are at highest risks, and also caregivers, because you don’t want doctors and nurses to get the flu and spread it to people they treat,” he said. “The flu vaccine is mostly to protect the elderly and those with chronic illnesses in the CNMI. Most of our supply will be reserved for people with advanced diabetes, dialysis patients, pregnant women, and children with advanced asthma.”

About 200 doses are reserved for doctors and nurses.

Hofschneider, however, said that, if more vaccines would be made available in the future, “then it can be offered to others patients.”

Further, with regards to concerns on safety and supply of the vaccine, Hofschneider assured that all CNMI flu vaccines are from “approved U.S. sources.”

“The flu vaccine from the U.S. has been formulated to be more effective than last year’s flu shot, which was only 40 percent effective in preventing the flu to exposed individuals,” he said. “DPH ordered extra vaccine this year, and expects to obtain more than 2,300 doses.”

Hofschneider said he does not believe costs for the vaccines have increased for supply to the Commonwealth but said the supply already received and expected to arrive were ordered in advance.

“We order these in advance, so I don’t think there is an accelerated cost, price gouging in other words. I’ve heard that, but I think the price that we were quoted is the same price that we’re paying now,” he said. “We start months in advance.”

He did not reveal the cost for the vaccines.

Last year, more than 2,000 flu shots were given to high risks individuals, the most ever in the CNMI.

With limited adult and pediatric clinic appointments for flu shots, special flu shot clinics for high-risk adults and children on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota will be held. The clinics are still in the planning process and will be announced within the next two weeks.