WASHINGTON, Oct. 19 (UPI) -- U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson said Aventis Pasture will provide an additional 2.6 million flu shots in January to ease shortages.
Thompson told a Washington news conference the government expects about 60 million doses of flu vaccine and FluMist nasal spray to be available during the flu season.
He said there are still 20 million doses of undistributed vaccine that will go to the elderly over 65 and other high-risk groups and potentially enough anti-viral medicines available to treat another 40 million Americans.
Thompson advised seniors and others most vulnerable not to stand in long lines seeking a flu shot.
"In particular, we don't want seniors standing in long lines waiting for vaccine," he said. "This is unnecessary and may pose even greater health risks for some seniors than the flu."
The U.S. flu vaccine supply was nearly cut in half because of contamination of up to 48 million doses at the Liverpool, England, plant of Emeryville, Calif.-based Chiron Corp.
