Have you been able to get your flu shot yet?

[hedgehog]

I get mine faithfully every year ever since my son was diagnosed with asthma as a a baby. (The idea is to vaccinate the asthmatic and the family so no one brings flu into the home since the vaccine isn't 100% effective.) Most years I've had my shot by August and have gotten the college kids vaccinated before they go back to school. (A wise precaution since they've never had flu at school but have seen friends miss classes for 1 or 2 weeks from serious respiratory illnesses.) Here's the thing - it's October 3 and my family doctor doesn't have his vaccine yet and doesn't know when he is getting any. This is a guy who is very aggressive to get all his senior and at-risk patients (diabetics, asthmatics etc. ) vaccinated yearly. Is there a big vaccine shortage that's not being discussed?

[MrCoffee]

1. I can think of a dozen places that are offering vaccines...

I don't think there's a shortage. Maybe your doctor's vendor is out.

ETA that I'm in Seattle, my doc, my wife's OB, and my kid's doc has vaccines, and there are a bunch of pharmacies around offering them.

[Nickster]

2. I was just thinking about that today. I haven't heard anything about flu

shots being available at all yet. I remember the MSM saying that this year should be no problem at all and we wouldn't see a shortage, but still no idea on when we'll get them. Probably like everything else in this country right now, we'll get them in June some time.

[WePurrsevere]

3. Canadian news reported that they were short so maybe it's here a bit too?

n/t

[Tanuki]

4. My doc said it would be available in late October

More info from the CDC:
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/bulletin/2006-07/bulletin3_100206.htm

[noonwitch]

5. I'm not at-risk so I won't get one

My sister better go get hers, though. She had ulcerative colitis, a subsequent colectomy and is vulnerable to all of that kind of stuff.

I've been lucky the last 4 years or so, since I started taking vitamins and eating a healthier diet. 400 mg daily of folic acid, whether in vitamins or in eating lots of spinach or other dark green veggies, will go a long way in preventing some illnesses.

I haven't had a cold or flu that settled in my chest for years, and nothing that lasted more than a day. Not only did I start taking vitamins and eating healthy, I also decided I wasn't going to get a cold. My church teaches that it is important to deny the power of illness over you. Unfortunately, some people interpret that to mean we believe that if you get sick, it's your fault.

[sandnsea]

6. They had them here Saturday

Big signs at one of the stores. We have like 40% seniors so we always have community flu shot 'events'. I haven't heard anything about a shortage here.

[Bridget Burke]

7. My workplace begins offering them on October 16th.....

I've only had real influenza twice in my life. I'll gladly get a free shot to reduce my chances of feeling rotton for a couple of weeks.

[niyad]

8. where are you? the local safeway and king's pharmacies are

advertising them--have been for about three weeks now.

[hedgehog]

10. I'm in upstate New York.

Maybe location is the key to the situation or else it depends on whichever vaccine company is the provider.

[jpak]

9. Had mine this morning - only a 30 minute wait in line

n/t