Flu season causes supply shortages at peak of the season

Hospitals and pharmacies are running out of flu vaccines, medications and tests for the deadly virus at the peak of the season.

While the CDC is urging Americans now more than ever to get the flu shot, some pharmacies are out of stock and will not be ordering more vaccines for the rest of the season with three months remaining.

Vaccine manufactures predicted 151 million to 166 million flu shots to be given this season and as of last week 152 million shots have been distributed.

So many people have become infected with the flu that pharmacies have been scrambling to restock their shelves with medication and the American Red Cross is experiencing a shortage of blood donations.

This year’s outbreak is on track to becoming one of the worst flu seasons in recent history with more than 30 children already dead from the virus in the US.

Hospitals and pharmacies in the US are running out of flu vaccines, medications and tests for the deadly virus at the peak of the season with three months remaining

CVS pharmacies are no longer restocking their shelves with the flu shot for the rest of the season.

Amy Lanctot, Senior Manager of Public Relations for CVS, told Daily Mail Online that their pharmacies are seeing an increased demand nationwide.

‘There may be instances when an individual pharmacy could be out-of-stock. We are closely monitoring the situation and are working to ensure our patients have access to available vaccine,’ she said.

Other pharmacies will stop ordering the vaccine once they run out because if they are not used they will expire in June and be discarded.

The flu shot is 34 percent effective at preventing the most common H3N2 strain dubbed the ‘Aussie flu’ that is responsible for the devastating 2014 season.

However, the CDC is urging everyone to get vaccinated and says it is not too late as it will offer more protection from the new strains, H1N1 and B viruses, emerging in the next few weeks.

Private practices in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, are running out of the rapid flu test that takes about 10 minutes to determine if a patient is suffering from the virus.

‘We went to purchase more because of the use we’ve had this year, and they’re not available,’ Dr James DeAngelo told CBS Pittsburgh.

Some health professionals are urging doctors to cut back on administering rapid flu tests for patients who look obviously ill in order to save the tests for others who show milder symptoms.

Several people have died from the flu after showing mild symptoms or no symptoms at all.

WHAT ARE THE FLU STRAINS HITTING THE US THIS YEAR?

There are many different strains of flu circulating around the world, but four main types are being seen, or are set to emerge, in America this winter.

The vaccine is 34 percent effective against the H3N2 strain, however it will offer more protection from the new strains, H1N1 and B viruses, emerging in the next few weeks.

H3N2 – Dubbed ‘Aussie flu’ after it struck Australia hard last winter, this strain is more likely to affect the elderly, who do not respond well to the current vaccine. This is one of the most common strains seen so far this winter.

H1N1 – This strain – known as ‘swine flu’ – is generally more likely to hit children, who respond well to vaccination. This has been seen nearly as often as H3N2 so far this year. In the past it was only commonly caught from pigs, but that changed in 2009 when it started spreading rapidly among humans in a major global pandemic.

B / Yamagata – This is known as ‘Japanese flu’. Only people who received the ‘four strain’ vaccine – which is being slowly rolled out after it was introduced for the first time this winter – are protected against the Yamagata strain. Those who received the normal ‘three strain’ vaccine are not protected.

B / Victoria – This strain is vaccinated against in the normal ‘three strain’ vaccine, but has hardly appeared so far this winter, with just four confirmed cases.

Nihar Mandavia, a pharmacist who owns Druggist Pharmacy in Laguna Niguel, California, told Daily Mail Online that his pharmacy has been selling an average of 30 Tamiflu per day.

‘Usually during flu season we sell maybe one a day,’ he said.

‘I’ve already gone through eight in the last three hours we’ve been open,’ he added. ‘I spent my Sunday night looking for Tamiflu for wholesale.’

There is also a nationwide shortage of IV bags used to administer vital fluids due to a major production facility in Puerto Rico being shattered by Hurricane Maria in September.

However, on Wednesday healthcare company Baxter International was given approval by US regulators to import large saline bags from its plant in Mexico in an effort to ease hospital shortages.

The American Red Cross has been hit by the flu with people too sick to donate.

The organization is ‘critically low’ on certain blood types, according to Norma Dixon of the American Red Cross in Kansas.

According to the CDC at least 30 children have died, another 14,401 people got sick last week, and hospitalizations have climbed to 31.5 per 100,000.

This year’s outbreak is on track to becoming one of the worst flu seasons in recent history due to a deadly strand that has become widespread in 49 states, excluding Hawaii.

The flu is especially dangerous because while most people suffering from the virus experience fever, chills, muscle aches, cough, congestion, runny nose, headaches and fatigue, not all those infected show symptoms.

This is why healthcare professionals warn to wash your hands and avoid close contact with anyone, whether they show symptoms or not.

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk