State Sees Flu Vaccine Surplus (Source: Seattle Post Intelligencer)
From the article:
In response to tempered demand and concerns that fresh supplies could go untapped, the state is now recommending that everyone 50 and older should receive a flu shot this year.
State health officials also now suggest vaccination for anyone living with or caring for someone at high risk of complications from the flu.
The U.S. supply of flu vaccine was cut in half earlier this year when a factory in Liverpool, England, was shut down because of contamination.
In response, the government recommended in October that healthy adults skip a flu shot this season to save vaccine for… the elderly, infants or those with chronic conditions. Each year, the flu kills about 36,000 people and hospitalizes 200,000 in this country.
After the shortage was announced, hundreds of U.S. residents flocked to Canada, where plentiful supplies prompted businesses to offer "flu packages" by way of ferry and bus.