By Duke Medicine News and Communications

1. The Pediatric Practices of the Duke Health Centers at Southpoint, Pickett Road, and Roxboro Road will begin giving flu vaccines on Wednesday October 13, 2004. We will be immunizing only the highest risk patients: [View a complete list of high risk groups]

• Children 6 months - up to but not including 24 months.
• All children over 2 yrs with a high risk condition like asthma, sickle cell disease, metabolic disorders, diabetes, renal disease, immunocompromised patients, and chronic medical conditions

Note, children who have had only one episode of wheezing in their life, do not have a diagnosis of asthma and are not considered in the high risk category.

2. At this time, due to vaccine shortages we will be unable to immunize household contacts of high risk children or siblings of household contacts of infants under 6 months of age.

3. The only flu vaccine we have available, at this time, contains the preservative Thimerosal. It is licensed for children 6 months and up. We do not know if or when we will get the preservative free vaccine.

4. All flu vaccines will be given by appointment only. If a child already has an appointment for a well child check and is in a high risk category, he/she may receive the flu vaccine at that time, if still available. There is no need to make a separate appointment.

5. Children who should get a second dose of the vaccine should call back 4 weeks after the initial dose to see if we still have available vaccine. We will not make any second flu vaccine appointments at this time.

6. There is a limited supply of the nasal spray flu vaccine, FluMist.

We regret our inability to provide flu vaccines all qualified patients given the short supply of vaccine. Thanks for your understanding.