8 Free Clinics to Deliver 22,000 Flu Vaccine Doses

The state has given the Orange County Health Care Agency an additional 22,000 doses of flu vaccine, some of which will be distributed at eight free flu clinics this month.

The remainder will be given to skilled-nursing facilities, long-term-care facilities and community clinics.

This will give the county agency a total of 46,760 doses this year, compared with 58,000 last year.

In addition, the California Department of Health Services announced it would sell 844,000 doses of flu vaccine to healthcare providers.

Those who will be given the vaccine must be in high-risk groups, including senior citizens, pregnant women, young children and those with weak immune systems.

The nationwide shortage of flu vaccine came after British regulators suspended the license of a Liverpool pharmaceutical plant because of possible contamination. The plant, which makes vaccine for the U.S. company Chiron Corp., was expected to provide 46 million doses, half the U.S. supply.

Orange County flu vaccine clinics will be held at six senior centers and two hospitals from Nov. 30 through Dec. 9. Locations and hours: (800) 564-8448 or www.ochealthinfo.com.