I want to respond to the Nov. 28 letter to the editor regarding the flu vaccine and its distribution.
I agree it is vital that in the midst of a national delay of flu vaccine delivery that high-risk people such as seniors and those with chronic diseases should be the first to be immunized. For these people, the flu is more than just an inconvenient illness; it is risking death. About 20,000 Americans die each year as a result of influenza.
In our department and other health departments, immunizing the high-risk population is the top priority for our limited supply of flu vaccines. Normally we receive and give out 50,000 doses of vaccines each year. So far we have been able to distribute 12,000 doses in 92 free flu vaccine clinics across the city. Still we had to cancel 14 clinics when we ran out of vaccines several weeks ago. On Tuesday we resumed our schedule, and we are rescheduling the clinics that were canceled. We are adding more clinics.
During this delay, we have been helped by many who have shown good faith. We borrowed vaccines from government agencies, private organizations and private businesses.
We need doctors and other providers to revisit their policies to assure the vaccines go to the people at highest risk first. Healthy, strong people can wait for now.
