By Kelly Mae Ross and Megan Shaw
Amid an unusually severe flu season, some local pharmacies and clinics are running low on flu vaccines.
The Kroger on East Nelson Street had seven flu vaccines left as of 2 p.m. Thursday. Tracy Deemer, a Kroger pharmacy technician, said the store has administered more than 300 vaccines since August.
The nearby CVS Pharmacy on East Nelson Street is also running low on vaccines. Nancy McCaleb, a CVS pharmacy technician, said the pharmacy has about 30 flu shots left, but she is anticipating another shipment of vaccines next week.
McCaleb said about 2,250 flu shots have been administered at the East Nelson Street CVS since August.
The Walmart on North Lee Highway is not currently offering flu vaccines.
Virginia Military Institute’s infirmary is out of vaccines and has been for about two weeks.
The Student Health Center at Washington and Lee University ran out of flu vaccines last week. W&L is now directing vaccine-seeking students to other locations, such as the Rockbridge Area Health Center.
Jane Horton, director of student health and counseling services at Washington and Lee, said she first began to see flu symptoms on campus after the school’s winter break.
“Between Saturday and yesterday, a five-day period, we had 58 visits to the Health Center for influenza-like illness,” said Horton.
In Buena Vista, the CVS Pharmacy on East Midland Trail has about five or six flu vaccines left. Pharmacy technician Audrey Goff said she does not anticipate an additional shipment.
The Buena Vista Health Department is completely out of vaccines, according to the office’s automated voicemail.
Flu activity became widespread in Virginia in December, a month or two early, which hasn’t happened since the 2003-2004 season. Outbreaks have been reported in schools and nursing homes in all regions of the state.
It is recommended that people seeking vaccines call ahead to confirm that flu shots are still available at a given location.Places to go for flu vaccines:
- Kroger Pharmacy
422 East Nelson Street
Lexington, VA 24450
(540) 464-1600 - CVS/Pharmacy Store
506 East Nelson Street
Lexington, VA 24450
(540) 463-7126 - CVS/Pharmacy Store
2148 East Midland Trail
Buena Vista, VA 24416
(540) 261-2164 - Rockbridge Area Health Center
- 25 Northridge Lane, Ste. 3
- Lexington, VA 24450
- (540) 464-8700
Helpful links for more information:
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Seasonal Influenza website
Virginia Department of Health: Flu Activity
Staff writer Andy Soergel and the Associated Press contributed.