Supplies sufficient to meet demand, health officials say

By Tom Blakey

Transcript Staff Writer

With more than 330,000 doses of adult and child influenza vaccine distributed to county health departments and public health care providers statewide, Oklahoma State Department of Health officials believe supplies of the influenza vaccine will be sufficient to meet this year's demand.

"At the current time, we anticipate having enough flu vaccine this year," said Cleveland County Health Department Administrator Shari Kinney. "We hope our Cleveland County residents will use every opportunity to get vaccinated throughout the fall and winter months."

Kinney said state health officials "usually don't see our first laboratory-confirmed case of influenza until late November or early December."

Oklahoma's flu season usually occurs from October through May, she said.

Beginning Monday, the Cleveland County Health Department will begin conducting influenza vaccination clinics for the upcoming flu season, for those at highest risk of complications from influenza.

Persons at high risk of complications from influenza include the following:

Persons age 50 years and older, with and without chronic health conditions

Residents of long-term care facilities

Persons 2 to 49 years of age with chronic health conditions

Pregnant women

Health-care personnel who provide direct patient care