U.S. Runs Out of Flu Vaccine (If you're going to get the shot you better hurry!)

By DANIEL Q. HANEY

The two makers of flu shots in the United States said Friday they have run out of vaccine and will not be able to meet a surge in demand resulting from fears of a particularly bad flu season.

The companies, Chrion and Aventis Pasteur, together made about 80 million doses of the injected vaccine, which ordinarily would be enough to take care of U.S. demand.

"Because of the recent outbreak, we've seen an unprecedented surge of vaccine orders late in the season," said Len Lavenda, an Aventis spokesman. "As a result, we have now shipped all our available supplies."

The companies said they cannot make more vaccine this year, because the process takes four months. By that time, the flu season would be over.

Nevertheless, both companies said people may still be able to get shots, since suppliers have probably not distributed all they have.

"What we are telling people is there is still vaccine in the pipeline, although we are not sure how much," Lavenda said. "People who want to get a flu shot this year should not wait any longer. They will have to be persistent."

In Colorado's El Paso County, health director Rosemary Bakes-Martin said her agency hoped to order 2,000 doses this week but could come up with just 500 from suppliers.

"The story they're telling us is that they weren't expecting this shortage, that they were hit with increased orders in the last week," she said.