Flu queue pushes center to open early

Pioneer Medical Center in ML administers flu vac to more than 700 high risk patients Wednesday

MOSES LAKE — Doors opened early on Wednesday morning at the Pioneer Medical Center's Urgent Care facility in Moses Lake to administer flu shots to the dozens of people who waited in line to receive the vaccination.

"We opened at 7:50 this morning to start taking high risk patients," said Teresa Gonsalez, an Urgent Care staff employee.

Urgent Care was not scheduled to open until 9 a.m. to begin distribution of the vaccine.

Amidst the long line of patients that waited to be seen yesterday, Urgent Care staff prioritized distribution of the vaccine by admitting those at high risk and those who have doctors through the Association of Samaritan Physicians to be seen first.

"If patients are not established with our doctors they need to fill out additional paperwork," said Ray Dockery, administrator with ASP.

But for some patients in the top percent of the high risk groups, receiving the vaccine was not an option.

"My husband has terminal cancer. He has to have this shot," said Julie Pippins who waited with her husband, M.J., yesterday at urgent care.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, high risk groups include the following: children between the ages of 6 and 23 months, adults 65 years of age and older, persons aged 2 to 64 with chronic medical conditions, pregnant women, residents of nursing home and long-term care facilities, health-care workers involved in direct patient care, children on chronic aspirin therapy, and out of home caregivers and household contacts of children less than 6 months of age.

At the end of the day Wednesday, Dockery said Urgent Care staff administered more than 700 flu shots and "we didn't see hardly anyone that was not high risk and people remained patient and tolerant throughout the day."

Of the few remaining vaccines that are left, Dockery said they will be reserved for those in the high risk groups.

As for other health care providers in Moses Lake, the search for more vaccine has yielded little progress.

"The clinic is trying every avenue to get extra shots, but with half of the nation's supply cut, the surplus just isn't there," said Dr. Craig Hart, internal medicine doctor with the Moses Lake Clinic.

The vaccine shortage occurred when the California-based Chiron Corporation, one of two manufacturers in the nation which distributes the fluverin influenza vaccine, announced Oct. 5 that one of its offices in Liverpool, England was suspended from releasing the product during the 2004-2005 flu season due to possible contamination, cutting the nation's supply in half as a result of the closure.

"The Grant County Health District continues to seek cooperation from health care providers so the vaccine gets to the people who need it," said Peggy Grigg, director of Personal Health Services.