Flu vaccine in short supply at area health clinics

Need a flu shot?

Please check with your primary care provider first, to see if they have flu shots available.

The Family Health Center in Cathlamet has adult and pediatric flu shots available for their patients only, and asks that anyone needing one to please call to make an appointment.

The Cathlamet Pharmacy is in short supply, and are not sure when they will be getting more. They do not have flu shots available for children, and adults needing a flu shot should call before coming in. There were only two more doses available for adults on Tuesday, and those may be gone by now. All the high dose flu shots for anyone over the age of 65 are spoken for.

Wahkiakum Health and Human Services has flu shots available for children only.

“We don’t have an ETA for the others but it might be awhile,” WHHS Director Chris Bischoff said. “We have had serious supply chain issues in the health department. There is a rumor making its way across social media that there is a shortage, there is not. Our issues are contractual not supply availability.”

Bischoff said that the health department is trying to organize a flu shot clinic sponsored by an outside agency, but he is not sure when or if that will happen.

He also suggested visiting Walgreens, Costco, and other places outside the county that have pharmacies to see if they have flu shots available.

The pharmacy at the Kelso Target is providing flu shots, and on Tuesday, they had 100 doses of the flu shot for people over 65. An appointment can be made online. It is first come, first serve, and it might be a good idea to call ahead to see if they still have any available.