October 14, 2004
Albany-- There are only about 3,700 flu shots remaining in 14 Southwest Georgia counties. It took just four days for health care workers to administer 10,000 doses of the flu shot.
The Southwest Georgia Health District spans 14 counties, and we know for sure that two counties have run out of the flu vaccination, and several others are low.
It is still unclear when any more flu shots will be delivered. But, the CDC is working with the major vaccine supplier to distribute the flu shot.
"But we have no idea if we are going to get more vaccine and if we do when it will come and how much will come if it does come," said SWGA Health Director Dr. Paul Newell. "If we do we will reallocate it and hopefully we will have done something of an assessment of where the major need are at that point. We have gotten all that we are going to get for the moment."
Calhoun and Seminole counties are out of the flu shot . Terrell County had just five doses, Mitchell 35, Worth 50, and Grady County, 65.
Dougherty County had 1,530, but the remaining counties had much less. Remember, those tallies are from eight this morning, and no doubt have been depleted even more since then.
The Centers for Disease Control predicts five to as much as twenty percent of America will get the flu this year. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, and nausea.
Since many won't get the flu vaccine, here are simple ways to protect yourself.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- And if you are sick with the flu, stay home, away from work, school and errands.
- Also, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
- The flu is spread in respiratory droplets caused by coughing or sneezing.
- Make sure to clean your hands often and avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
posted at 4:25PM by dave.miller@walb.com
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