MODESTO BEE
ORIGINAL ARTICLE

By KEN CARLSON
BEE STAFF WRITER

Last Updated: September 29, 2005, 07:20:38 AM PDT

Everyone from county health agencies to private health care providers expect to have ample supplies of flu vaccine this year.But in case something happens to shorten the supply, state officials are asking healthy people to wait until Oct. 24 or later to be vaccinated. Initially, the vaccine is for people who have a heightened risk of becoming seriously ill from common strains of influenza.

County health agencies and major health care organizations said they would cooperate with the policy.

The high-risk group includes those 65and older, residents of long-term care facilities, health care workers, pregnant women, children between 6 and 23months old, anyone with chronic health problems and anyone who lives with or takes care of children younger than 6 months old.

Stanislaus County has scheduled public flu shot clinics for October and November. Merced County will provide vaccine at special clinics in November, but only for people 60 and older and individuals ages 18 to 59 who have chronic illnesses.

Flu shots will be available for Merced County children age 6months to 23 months at the county's regular immunization clinics, said Annie Carlson, supervising public health nurse.

San Joaquin County will provide flu shots the first two weeks in November but is not releasing the schedule until it's certain that vaccine will be available. Free vaccine for people 65 and older will available at the Tuolumne County health fair Oct. 18-19.

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