Flu season is fast approaching, but the flu vaccine supply isn’t ready to meet the onslaught. Iowa Department of Public Health Director, Dr. Stephen Gleason, says changes in the manufacturing process have slowed the production of the vaccine. He says one strain of the flu bug has also slowed the process, as the “A-Panama” strain of the virus is very hard to culture and create into a vaccine. Gleason says early supplies of the vaccine should be targeted to specific groups.He recommends only the old and young with chronic diseases get the shots first. Gleason says there should be more vaccine available in a month or so.Dr. Gleason says waiting to get the flu shot shouldn’t pose a major problem.He says there’s not much you can do to prevent the flu while waiting for your flu shot.Gleason says there are some anti-viral compounds that’ve been used for prevention of the flu. He says you’d have to contact your own doctor to see if those compounds are an appropriate treatment.
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