Flu Vaccine Shortage Cancels Most Clinics

By Shannon Hicks

A number of changes in the schedule for the seasonal flu clinics being sponsored by Newtown Health District and Newtown VNA, with help from Bethel and Danbury VNAs, have been announced. The biggest change: Most of the flu shot clinics planned for the remainder of October and into the first weeks of November have been canceled.

Flu shots that were to be administered Thursday, October 22, at Town Hall South, were instead done at Newtown Health District offices, 31 Peck’s Lane. And even before that clinic opened, Health District Director Donna Culbert was worried about the available supply.

“Show up early,” she urged residents via The Bee’s website earlier this week, “because we’re probably going to run out before the end of our scheduled time.”

In addition to a small supply for Thursday morning, clinics that had been announced for Friday, October 23, at Newtown Savings Bank, has been canceled, as have the following Newtown events: Saturday, October 24 at Newtown Senior Center; Monday, October 27, at Caraluzzi’s Market; Friday, October 30, at CVS Pharmacy; Saturday, November 4, at The Big Y; and Saturday, November 14, at Stop & Shop.

Clinics that had previously been announced to take place at Coldwell Banker (November 6 and 16) and Newtown Congregational Church (November 10) have also been canceled.

All of these seasonal flu shot clinics have been canceled because the supply of vaccine is much smaller than had been expected.

“The VNAs received less than they were supposed to,” Ms Culbert said. “With the VNAs’ coverage in the area, I’ve ordered less and less [for the clinics other than those sponsored by VNAs]. When I supply vaccine, it’s to Kevin’s Community Center and EMS personnel, and I have a few doctors who get to homebound residents who would otherwise not receive shots.”

Bethel’s VNA recently learned that its order had been reduced by 50 to 75 percent, said Ms Culbert.

“They were initially anticipating a second delivery, so they didn’t cancel their clinics right away,” said the health director.

On October 5, in fact, Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal announced that Novartis Vaccines & Diagnostics had reversed an earlier announced and agreed to provide the state’s VNAs with their full requested supply of seasonal flu vaccine.

“In the end, they didn’t receive their vaccine, which forced them to cancel those clinics after all,” Ms Culbert said. “I could only give them what I had after what I normally do, but that was all I had.

“I don’t think anyone anticipated this,” she continued. “No one anticipated this kind of problem. It’s very disturbing because we’ve always tried to assure residents we would take care of them.

“If we had known this was coming we would have put that information out there and encouraged certain groups, like senior citizens, to make sure they had their shots.”

Still On The Calendar

With Newtown’s seasonal flu clinics canceled, Ms Culbert is offering information on upcoming clinics that were, as of October 18, still on the schedule for Danbury VNA.

“I was trying to offer people local options, but we just don’t have enough vaccine for all the clinics that were planned in Newtown,” she said.

Upcoming events in Danbury include Tuesday, October 27, at the Danbury PAL Building, 35 Hayestown Road, from 1:30 to 3 pm; Wednesday, October 28, C-Town Supermarket, 45 North Street, from 5 to 7 pm; Thursday, October 29, at the Danbury VNA office, 4 Liberty Street, 4:30 to 6 pm (registration is requested; call 730-5249); and Saturday, October 31, Borders Books, 110 Federal Road, 10 am to 1 pm.

Also, Tuesday, November 3, at Danbury PAL, 1:30 to 3 pm; Thursday, November 5, at Danbury VNA, 4:30 to 6 pm (registration: 730-5249); Tuesday, November 10, Danbury PAL, 1:30 to 3 pm; Thursday, November 12, Danbury VNA, 4:30 to 6 (registration: 730-5249); Tuesday, November 17, Danbury PAL, 1:30 to 3 pm; Thursday, November 19, Danbury VNA, 4:30 to 6 pm (registration: 730-5249); Tuesday, November 24, Danbury PAL, 1:30 to 3 pm; and Friday, November 27, Danbury VNA, 10 am to noon (registration: 730-5249).

The clinics at C-Town Supermarket and Danbury PAL are walk-in opportunities.