By KERRY McCRAY
BEE STAFF WRITER

People at high risk for flu can get their shots now in the Northern San Joaquin Valley and foothills.

Healthy people, however, should wait until at least November, health officials said.

Because of slight delays in manufacturing the vaccine, federal officials asked health departments, doctors and other organizations to reserve their first shipments of vaccine for people 60 and older and those with chronic diseases.

Vaccine shipments are not as late as they were last year, when monthslong delays prompted fears of a shortage.

"Last year was a nightmare," said Danette Stoddard, a manager with the Visiting Nurse Association of the Central Valley, part of Modesto's Memorial Medical Center. "This year, it should go much more smoothly."

Visiting nurses started offering flu shots Oct. 2 at some Longs Drug Stores, Stoddard said.

Because of the recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the group will not offer shots at businesses until December.

Health departments soon will give flu shots to older people and those with weakened immune systems, including people with asthma, diabetes, and heart and lung diseases.

Tuolumne County's health department is the first in the area to offer shots, scheduled Tuesday and Wednesday. The county has received most of its expected 2,100 doses of vaccine.

The Stanislaus County Health Services Agency will begin giving flu shots Thursday at the Modesto Senior Center. Officials have received some of the expected 8,270 doses.

Merced County will start offering flu shots in November. The county has not received any of the 6,400 doses it requested, but expects the vaccine to arrive in the next few weeks.

San Joaquin County officials will not give flu shots until November, either, though they already have some of the 17,000 doses the county expects.

By waiting, San Joaquin officials hope to avoid the problems they encountered last year when they were forced to cancel clinics and borrow vaccine.

"Once we can be sure the high-risk people have been taken care of, we can give the vaccine to the low-risk population," said Ginger Wick, the county's immunization coordinator.

Because it takes only two weeks to develop immunity after receiving the vaccine, experts say shots given late in the year will still protect people during the flu season, which peaks in January through March.

Kaiser Permanente in Stanislaus County will reserve vaccine for older people and those with weak immune systems, leaving younger people to get shots at their workplaces, chain stores or doctors' offices.

This year, Kaiser plans to move its flu-shot clinics from its downtown Modesto office to a church, where there will be more room and ample parking, said Coba Thompson, director of nursing for Kaiser in Modesto and Manteca.

While Kaiser offers flu shots free to members, some organizations will charge more this year.

The Visiting Nurse Association of the Central Valley raised the price from $12 to $15 because their supplier charges more, Stoddard said. Some health departments also have increased their prices, although most stress that no one will be turned away because they cannot pay.

Area officials expect the same number of people to seek flu shots this year as last year and do not expect long lines or confusion, common last year when vaccine arrived much later than usual.

"It was disruptive for us and for the public," said Wick.

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FLU FACTS

People who are at the highest risk for flu include:

• Those 60 and older
• Anyone with heart disease or a chronic lung problem, including asthma
• Anyone with a weak immune system, caused by certain kidney diseases, some cancers, human immunodeficiency virus, organ transplant medicine and other conditions
• Women in the second or third trimester of pregnancy during flu season

Area health organizations also are offering pneumococcal vaccine. Unlike flu shots, these shots are typically given once in a person's life and can be given any time of the year. They protect against pneumococcal pneumonia. These shots are recommended for:

• People 65 and older, regardless of health
• People 2 years and older with chronic heart or lung disorders
• People who have diabetes, liver, sickle cell or kidney disease
• People who have weakened immune systems from cancer or other disease

Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices

Reprinted by permission of Modesto Bee.