By By Sharon White/The Meridian Star
Nov. 30, 2000
High-risk patients in Clarke County are getting flu shots now, but Lauderdale Countians still await arrival of the vaccine designed to ward off serious complications from the unwelcome winter visitor.
Officials with the Clarke County Health Department said Tuesday they received 460 doses of an expected 600 doses and the first shots were administered Monday.
Many private physicians in Meridian and local clinics have acquired the flu vaccine, but state health officials are sending Mississippi's first 20,000 doses to the 29 southernmost counties. They say getting vaccinated in December or January is still likely to protect Mississippi residents from the flu.
State and federal public health officials learned earlier this year manufacturers expected a delay in shipment of the influenza vaccine. The shortfall left it to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta to produce nine million additional doses, work now being done.
Some of Mississippi's flu vaccine arrived in Clarke, Smith and Jasper counties last week. But only people considered "high risk" were given the medicine.
She said the news some Clarke County residents would have to wait went without apparent problems, because all who came for the shots were high risk.
Like Lauderdale County, the delay is expected to last only "a few more days."
And, like in Clarke County, only those residents considered high-risk will be given the drug.
Sharon White is a staff writer for The Meridian Star. E-mail her at swhite@themeridianstar.com.