Flu Vaccine Supply Far Exceeds Last Year's Supply, Says CDC

Although many health care professionals ran short of influenza vaccine or received delayed shipments last year, the same delays are not expected this year, according to a Sept. 6 news release from the CDC. Manufacturers are increasing the supply and speeding up deliveries, says the release.

Manufacturers and distributors plan "to provide some influenza vaccine by the end of October to all providers who ordered it," says the CDC. According to the release, manufacturers report they should produce more than 100 million doses of flu vaccine for the U.S. market this year, which is at least 17 million more doses than in other years and 19 million more doses than last year. Manufacturers also say about 75 million doses will be distributed by the end of October, compared to about 60 million by the end of October last year.

"When and how much vaccine each health care provider or clinic receives depends on who they ordered from and when they ordered," says Lance Rodewald, M.D., director of the CDC's Immunization Services Division, in the news release. "We expect that some health care providers and clinics may get or have more influenza vaccine than others in the first month or so, but people will have plenty of opportunities to be vaccinated during October and November, as well as December or later."

Many people can benefit from the vaccine, especially health care professionals, children between 6 months and 5 years old, people 50 years old and older, and people with chronic diseases, says Julie Gerberding, M.D., M.P.H., CDC director, in the release.