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Flu Vaccine Supplies Are Spread outDoctors' Offices and Local Health Departments Are Good Places to Start Looking If You Need a Shot.

Posted on: Saturday, 18 December 2004, 21:00 CST

Looking for a flu shot?

Call your doctor. Although Nebraska has some shots available, many are scattered among private practitioners, health officials said Friday.

"After that, if your physician says, 'Hey, I don't have any,' call your local health department," said Leah Bucco-White, spokeswoman for the Nebraska Health and Human Services System.

County health departments have a good idea of where to find shots, she said.

In recent weeks, Nebraska loosened the restrictions so that more people can get the flu shot.

But, at the same time, the state sent many doses on to other states so they could vaccinate their highest-risk residents. The doses left behind in Nebraska were largely in the hands of private practitioners and, in many cases, in small quantities.

"We're not talking a lot of doses," Bucco-White said. "There's still some out there, but we're not talking thousands and thousands of doses."

In Douglas County, Alegent Health still has vaccine available for the general public in three of its clinics.

Alegent has 3,000 doses at three locations: Occupational Health Services at both Bergan Mercy and Immanuel Medical Centers and the Occupational Medicine Clinic, 11909 P St.

The locations are taking walk-ins Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Those eligible for a shot include members of eight high-priority groups -- infants 6 months to 23 months old, people older than 65, residents of long-term care facilities, those with chronic underlying health conditions, children on long-term aspirin therapy, pregnant women, close contacts of infants younger than 6 months and health care workers who provide direct patient care.

The state has expanded that group to include people age 50 to 65 and household contacts of the high-priority groups.

In Omaha, Kohll's Pharmacy & Homecare stores also have doses of the FluMist available. The nasal flu vaccine is for healthy people ages 5 to 49 and recommended for most health care providers and those who care for infants younger than 6 months.

Source: Omaha World - Herald

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