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Glitch stalls shipment of flu vaccines for kids in lower-income families

By PAUL WALSH, Star Tribune

Last update: October 10, 2008 - 4:44 PM

Just as flu-shot season cranks up, federal shipments of tens of thousands of vaccine doses intended for Minnesota children in lower-income families are lagging, and the holdup could delay how soon some kids are vaccinated, a state Department of Health official said this afternoon.

Those yet-to-arrive doses represent nearly the entire amount that Minnesota distributes annually under a federal children's vaccination program, said Kris Ehresmann, the state's immunization program manager, adding that other states are experience the same shortage.

The delay is because of a glitch with new computer software that the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) requires states to for placing orders, Ehresmann said.

Ehresmann said she hopes that health-care providers who normally receive these doses in time for dispensing in early October will use their own private stock until the flow resumes from the CDC.

A CDC spokeswoman in Atlanta referred questions about the shipment back to Minnesota health officials.

Minnesota began placing its orders with the CDC in early September, and about 9,000 doses came through fine, Ehresmann said. However, the software kicked back orders for the remaining 81,000 needed for this flu season.

The software problem has been fixed, and the orders are being resubmitted, she said, adding that they should start arriving next week.

"It could have an impact on kids getting a vaccine," she said. "Our hope is that clinics and doctors have some private stock, but that is asking a lot of them. The program should be providing the vaccine that they need."

For the 2007-08 flu season, there were more than 80 flu-related deaths nationwide among children.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482

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