MEMPHIS, Tenn. –Parents listen up!
There’s a shortage of the FluMist vaccine.
That’s the nasal spray flu vaccine often used on little ones.
Doctors said it’s because they’re having a hard time getting some of the key ingredients.
“This year two of the strains in the nasal spray vaccine are very slow to grow so there’s a month or two delay in getting all the doses out,” said Dr. Jon McCullers with Lebonheur Children’s Hospital.
FluMist is mostly given to babies and little children.
“The best benefit of this particular vaccine is in school aged kids. It seems to work best in that age group,” explained McCullers.
The United States is slated to receive 180 million doses of the flu vaccine this year, with about 15 million coming from the FluMist,
Right now they’re about 10 million short.
However Dr. McCullers with LeBonheur Children’s Hospital said more of the mist vaccination should be coming in the next few months.
“If there’s a shortage of that then I would just let them get the shot,” said Heather Reeves.
A mother of six, Reeves isn’t letting the shortage stop her.
Her three-year-old daughter is recovering at Lebonheur after just having heart surgery.
“For us we need to be protected to help protect her,” she explained.
Doctor McCullers said prevention is key.
Every year 150 healthy kids die from the flu, something he said is preventable.
“We want to get everybody vaccinated in October, November. Sometimes we have an early flu season in November and we want to have that shot on board for a few weeks before the flu rolls around.”
