If you haven't received your flu shot yet, it's likely you're out of luck for the season.
The Olds Community Health Centre reported its last day of administering influenza vaccines was Jan. 10 and Alberta Health Services announced on Jan. 11 that all immunization clinics in its central zone area, which includes Olds, are closed and will not reopen this season.
Some doses of influenza vaccine have been reserved for children who have received a first dose of the vaccine this season and require a second dose, AHS stated in a media release.
ìChildren under the age of nine who are receiving seasonal influenza vaccine for the first time this season require two doses this season to be fully protected.î
If your child requires a second dose, you can call Health Link Alberta at 1-866-408-5465
or the Olds Community Health Centre at 403-556-8441 for more information.
The province has also reserved ìlimited dosesî of the vaccine ìto address specific outbreaks in health care centres and continuing care sites,î AHS stated.
Olds' pharmacies, which were administering free flu shots, also ran out of the influenza vaccine last week.
PreferredRx Pharmacy, which administered between 750 and 800 flu shots this season, reported it had run out of vaccine on Jan. 7.
Rexall ran out the same day and reported it had given out more than 400 shots.
The pharmacy at Olds' No Frills grocery store reported it had run out of shots the week before and since November had administered 120 doses of the vaccination.
Olds' Shoppers Drug Mart also ran out the first week of January.
The province has reported that more than one million Albertans received the influenza vaccination and eight people have died from influenza in the province in the 2013-14 season.
