Towns double check flu shot stocks during government shutdown

The federal government shutdown has not affected the flu shot distribution in Columbia, Missouri.

Though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a supplier of flu vaccine, have been closed since the shutdown began on October 1, both the Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services, the MU Student Health Center and several pharmacies claim they have enough supply of the vaccine to last for the next two months.

"The government shutdown has not caused any delay in our shots," said Pam Roe, information specialist at the MU Student Health Center. "We order our first round of shots in early spring, and then it is delivered to us in the fall."

The MU Student Health Center will be providing the flu shots Thursday at the at the School of Nursing.

The calls and questions come amid the continuing government shutdown that saw "nonessential" employees furloughed from agencies including the CDC.

Tracking, for instance, has been affected by the shutdown as the CDC is no longer monitoring the number of influenza cases reported across the nation. "FluView," the weekly flu tracker, has not been updated since the shutdown began.