MERRIAM, Kan. — The first flu case of the season is confirmed in Northeast Kansas, showing up just a few weeks after hospitals and clinics reported delays in vaccine shipments.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported the first case Monday, but doctors at Shawnee Mission Health said they were surprised by that announcement because they’ve already treated several patients for the flu.
“We’ve actually had a couple positive flus in our office over the course of the past two to three weeks,” said Dr. Travis Keller.
Dr. Keller said the vaccine delays last month did not “significantly” affect their offices.
“They’ve been able to move around their assets within the Shawnee Mission Health system to keep us well-supplied,” he explained.
But he acknowledged that could change in coming weeks.
“Our office currently has 49 doses of regular flu shot,” he said. “We have 13 does of the high-dose flu shot for the elderly and 33 doses for the pediatric population.”
He continued, “The next supply is coming in in about two weeks, and so at the rate that we’re vaccinating, we’ll probably run out before our next shipment.”
Vaccine manufacturers cited a number of production, distribution and quality control issues for the delays. causing many doctors’ offices to get smaller allotments.
“The other repercussion would be people don’t get vaccinated because it’s convenient to get it while they’re here,” Dr. Keller said, “and they have busy lives and so if you miss that opportunity, you may have missed the one opportunity to vaccinate them this year.”
Children and the elderly are most at-risk for contracting the potentially deadly virus. So Dr. Keller recommends nearly everyone six months old and older get vaccinated.
As for young, otherwise healthy people who shrug off the vaccine, he said think again.
“The problem is they expose other people and you don’t know what the trickle down effect of that is,” he said. “So really there is a little bit of social responsibility, I think, in getting your flu shot.”
Dr. Keller said to avoid the inconvenience of having to make another appointment, patients should call ahead to make sure your doctor’s office has enough vaccines.
To find other locations near you that offer the flu shot, click here.
