Seasonal flu shots available for the uninsured at no cost

Knoxville-Knox County CAC has set aside about 300 seasonal flu shots to give today free to the uninsured, in a year where demand for the vaccine is higher than usual.

CAC will distribute the shots on a first-come, first-served basis 4-7 p.m. at the L.T. Ross Building, 2247 Western Ave. Additional shots are available for the insured; their health insurance will be billed.

Mercy Health Partners provided the shots. Knox County Health Department will give the FluMist intranasal vaccine to children.

Marie Alcorn, CAC Office on Aging's aging services manager, said CAC based the number of shots ordered on previous years' demand.

"We've never run out," she said.

But Knox County residents are having a little more difficulty than usual finding seasonal flu vaccine.

Last week, one of the nation's largest flu vaccination providers canceled several clinics nationwide, including two at local malls, because it didn't get enough vaccine.

And Summit Medical Group, the largest physicians' group in the area, has been "having some spotty shortages," said spokeswoman Jennifer Lawson James, although the 50 practices in the group have been able to "share" vaccine among them.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to say there will be plenty of seasonal vaccine. But earlier this month, Sanofi Pasteur, the largest of six manufacturers making the vaccine for the United States, announced that it may not ship some 20 million ordered doses until next month. Two other manufacturers indicated they may have 10 percent less vaccine than planned.

Manufacturers blame having to produce the H1N1 flu vaccine jointly with seasonal vaccine.

Knox County Health Department already has some H1N1 intranasal mist and a small supply of pediatric injectable vaccine, which it will give first to children ages 6 months to 2 years and to pregnant women.

Priority groups for intranasal mist are people 2-24 years old, people living with or caring for infants younger than 6 months and health care workers and emergency services personnel.

"Those who are in priority groups should check first with their medical provider, pediatrician and/or obstetrician, who also are receiving vaccine from Tennessee Department of Health," said spokeswoman Ranee Randby.