Flu clinic immunizes 250; some vaccine still available

About 250 people at risk for flu complications turned out for the flu shot clinic Tuesday.

Flathead City-County Health Department scheduled the clinic after receiving an unexpected shipment of 500 doses of flu vaccine.

"We didn't have the turnout we thought we would have," Elaine Sedlack, a public health nurse, said.

The department had eight nurses and eight prescreeners and registration people to avoid the gridlock experienced at a clinic last year after the flu hit early and hard.

She said quite a few people called the next day which generated 50 more flu shoots at the regular Wednesday immunization clinic.

"We hope we have everyone," Sedlack said, referring to elderly over 65 and health compromised people.

Anyone at high risk who still needs an immunization should check with the community health division about the availability of vaccine at 751-8110

Health officials request that parents bring children (under 9) who had their first flu shot this year back for the recommended second shot.

"The state has plenty of vaccine for children," Sedlack said.

The health department staff will use leftover doses to vaccinate first responders and law enforcement. Only ambulance personnel were immunized earlier.

"We're going to hold back a few doses for newly diagnosed, high-risk people," she said.

So far, the flu season has not made an early appearance in the Flathead or other parts of the country. Sedlack said only one person has tested positive in the Flathead Valley so far.

Normally, influenza spreads after the holiday season when people travel and bring back viruses.

In areas of the country that have some flu cases, Sedlack said the strain appears closely related to the variety covered in last year's flu shot.

"So people may have some immunity," she said.