Posted: 5/15/02

Vaccines are in short supply

Fairview Lakes Regional Health Care, along with the rest of the nation, has been experiencing periodic shortages of certain types of vaccines.Ý Vaccines recently in short supply have included measles, mumps-rubella (MMR), Varicella (chicken pox), adult tetanus and pediatric DaPT (tetanus toxoid with diphtheria and pertussis).

ìThese shortages are intermittent, and we hope they will be resolved by early summer,î said Fairview Lakes pharmacist Mark Nelson.

ìFor example, adult tetanus vaccine has recently begun to come in on a regular basis, and we may be past the shortage period for this product. We hope that by mid-June, we will have plenty of Varicella and MMR vaccine on hand, but the supply of these vaccines currently remains somewhat unpredictable.î

ìWhen vaccine is in short supply, it is necessary for us to set priorities and focus on vaccinating those individuals who need the vaccine the most, either because they are more apt to get the disease or because the consequences of the disease could be more serious for them,î said Fairview Lakes lead family practice physician Mike Dummer, M.D.

For Varicella (chickenpox) vaccine: During periods of short supply, highest priority for Varicella vaccine is given to five-year-olds who have had neither the vaccine nor the disease. On the other hand, Varicella vaccination will be delayed for 12- to18-month-olds, and parents of these children will be instructed to call back in six to 12 months to check on vaccine availability.

For Measles-Mumps-Rubella vaccine: During vaccine shortages, it is recommended that physicians delay the five-year-old ìboosterî dose of MMR and reserve any available vaccine so that infants can receive their initial dose of MMR at 12-15 months.Ý

The MMR shortage also poses a dilemma for older children. Minnesota currently requires an MMR booster for children entering 7th grade; however, Fairview Lakes is asking parents of seventh graders to delay this vaccination and wait until later this summer to see if more MMR vaccine is available.

Fairview Lakes infection control manager Carol Uher explains, ìPublic health officials do not want to suspend the seventh grade MMR requirement unless absolutely necessary. They are hoping the vaccine shortage will be resolved in time for seventh graders to get their MMR vaccinations before school starts.

ìRight now we are asking parents of seventh graders to check back with us in midsummer to see if MMR vaccine is available. If the vaccine shortage persists beyond midsummer, the Minnesota Department of Health has assured us that kids will not be prohibited from attending school. Instead the MMR requirement will likely be waived until the shortage is resolved.î

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