FLU season can begin as early as October each year, at which time thousands of free and affordable vaccines are available to the public.

But according to a report from NBC Bay Area, more than 500,000 vaccines have gone unused in California in the past six flu seasons. With each unit worth about $11, the state has lost $5.9 million since 2009.

One aspect that sets apart flu vaccines from others is that they cannot be used the following season. With new strains continually evolving, remaining vaccines must be discarded.

Although California counties are required to report how many vaccines are both used and unused, there is no fine for not distributing them or for disposing unused units.

Records indicate that trends in effective vaccine distribution vary throughout state counties. Calveras County has the most unused vaccines in the state at 38 percent, while Placer County and Inyo County trail close behind at about 30 percent of unused units.

In San Bernardino County that number is at 16.7 percent; in Fresno County, it is at 13.3 percent; and in Los Angeles County, unused units are at 7.3 percent.

However, other counties fare better, such as Madera County with only 2.2 percent and Alameda County with a reported 1.4 percent of units thrown away.

“That begs the question, why are some counties doing so well and other counties are not,” UC San Francisco epidemiologist Dr. Robyn Gershon told NBC Bay Area.

Gershon said counties should have an efficient way of ensuring all vaccines are given to residents, which would be particularly beneficial in the event of an outbreak.

In an effort to distribute about 20,000 units this season, Alameda County initiated a program called “Shoo the Flu,” which vaccinated students in Oakland schools.

In 2013, more than 300 Californians died from the flu, with an even higher number catching it and getting sick.

(www.asianjournal.com)
(LA Weekend November 8-11, 2014 Sec. A pg.6)