Nov 6, 2009 5:12 pm US/Central
Doctor: H1N1 Vaccine Demand 'Has Been A Stampede'
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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Scientists work in a lab at Vitrology Biotech Company on April 30, 2009 in Clydebank, Scotland. The Scottish based company will be attempting to develop a vaccine for the H1N1 or 'Swine' Flu.
Jeff J. Mitchell/Getty Images
At the Northwestern Children's Practice, the pediatricians there had a lot of doses of the H1N1 vaccine when CBS 2 News visited two weeks ago, and Dr. Daniel Weissbluth said they got it the right way.
"We made a large order and we had no political clout or pulling any strings. We just did our paperwork," Dr. Weissbluth said.
But now their entire supply is gone. They have just given out their last shot.
"It has been a stampede," Dr. Weissbluth said. "I think there was some panic in the public, and a lot of demand and somewhat of a limited supply."
There has been a limited supply everywhere. As a result, even adults and children with their own physicians and health insurance are showing up at the City of Chicago clinics to get the H1N1 vaccine.
"There are demands at these clinics for the vaccine and we've made certain we served everyone who gets there," said Public Health Commissioner Dr. Terry Mason
In just a week, the city has vaccinated 42,000 adults and children and distributed 300,000 to other health care providers in a city with just under three million people.
"The availability of vaccine is far less than any of us would like to see and that's a function of supply," Dr. Mason said. "So as more of supply comes in we will make more of it available."
Pediatricians at the Northwestern Children's Practice can only wait.
"We have orders for more vaccine but we don't know when or how it's going to come," said Dr. Weissbluth.
The H1N1 vaccine will be made available at another city clinic, starting Saturday from 9am to 2 p.m. at Malcolm X College, 1900 W. Van Buren.
The CDC today said today there is twice as much vaccine across the country as there was two weeks ago, but the demand far exceeds the supply.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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