By Matt Leingang
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Flu vaccine supply

Thanks to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, additional doses could be available as early as Monday. Here's a look at what area health departments are expecting: Hamilton County: 160 doses of the pediatric vaccine; 700 doses of the adult vaccine. Cincinnati: 580 pediatric; 160 adult Butler County: 160 pediatric; 650 adult Clermont County: 120 pediatric; 100 adult Northern Kentucky Independent Health District: 40 pediatric; 200 adult.

This year's flu season, which got off to an early and harsh start, might have waned. But public health officials are gearing up for February, which traditionally is when influenza peaks.

"Influenza still seems to be on the decline, but we're well within the time frame when a second wave could come," said Cincinnati Health Commissioner Malcolm Adcock.

Public health officials got good news this week: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shipped out additional doses of vaccine to states. The Ohio Department of Health received 5,000 doses of the pediatric vaccine - designed for children from 6 to 35 months - and 20,000 doses of the adult vaccine, which is for people ages 4 and older.

Greater Cincinnati ran out of the vaccine last month.

Those new doses are being distributed to local health departments and could be available locally as early as Monday. Amounts will vary, depending on how much each municipality requested, said Kristopher Weiss, spokesman with Ohio's health department.

For example, the Hamilton County General Health District is slated to get 160 doses of the pediatric vaccine and 700 adult doses.

Shots will be available at regularly scheduled immunization clinics. Call 931-SHOT for more information.

The vaccine can still be effective, said Tim Ingram, director of the Hamilton County Health District.

Nationally the flu was at its worst the week ending Dec. 20, when 45 states had widespread flu. "Widespread" is defined as outbreaks of influenza or increases in influenza-like illnesses paired with lab-confirmed influenza samples in at least half the state.

Since then flu cases in the United States have declined, with only five states reporting the illness is widespread.

So far, Ohio has reported 26,542 cases of influenza and influenza-like illnesses, including five confirmed deaths.

E-mail mleingang@enquirer.com