The nation’s drug companies are planning to supply enough flu vaccines for half the country’s population, but it is coming later than planned, in October instead of August, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In a notice, CDC said, “Some companies have communicated information to their customers about delays in shipments that had originally been anticipated for August and September. Despite these early season shipping delays, however, manufacturers anticipate the majority of their flu vaccine distribution will occur by the end of October.”
The CDC added, “While this is slightly later than vaccine was shipped last year, it is not an unusual pattern for seasonal flu vaccine distribution overall.”
The vaccine supply could reach 159 million doses. The CDC recommends that everyone over six months old get one, but typically less than half of Americans do, and that supply should handle the load.
Nearly 100 million doses are available now. The flu typically peaks in January, but can begin in October and a few cases have already been reported.
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected].
