Too Late for Seasonal Flu Shot in Dallas?
Flu Shots Availability
This morning on the local Dallas news it was reported that CVS, Walgreens and many physicians are sold out of seasonal flu shots. They are attributing this to media attention on the flu as well as pharmaceuticals not providing as many seasonal flu vaccines this year. A BDI Pharmaceuticals sales representative stated that less seasonal flu vaccines were produced this year in order to ramp up for H1N1 vaccine production.
Any Lab Test Now® North Dallas locations are reporting they still have plenty of seasonal flu shots available. The cost is $20 when purchased individually or free with the purchase of any $49 or more lab test. Therefore, men can get a $49 PSA test and a free flu shot. Participating locations include Any Lab Test Now® Plano & Any Lab Test Now® McKinney.
In a previous blog post I believe I researched and found that on average 30,000 people die every year from the regular seasonal flu. It would be my guess that having less high risk individuals getting vaccinated this year will lead to a very high death rate. Dallas talk radio (820am) this morning stated that more seasonal flu vaccines are in production; however, they will not be available until January 2010.
Do you think H1N1 will cause even more deaths or grossly over-publicized? A North Dallas physician who asked to remain nameless expressed his personal opinion. He believes the H1N1 virus is similar in genetic makeup to a swine flu virus that swept the US in the 1970s. Adults who fought this strain of the flu in the 70’s probably will have immunity to H1N1. This theory could be a reason the H1N1 is not hitting the adult population very hard. Reports are showing that children ages 4-18yrs are getting sore throat, stomach ache, diarrhea and nausea. Adults however are only reporting stomach aches.
The fact that most adults are not expressing all the symptoms may lead the virus to spread easier. If an adult was hit hard this could limit them from being able to go to work thereby quarantining themselves. I have also noticed every H1N1 related death I have researched occurred in an individual with a secondary infection.
