By Eileen Buckley
Buffalo, NY – A nationwide flu vaccine shortage has left some Western New York senior citizens in a desperate search for a flu shot.
Austin Fretz of Amherst thought that he would be able to receive a free flu shot at the Tops on Main Street in Amherst. But he was too late.
"I'm 86 years old. My doctor doesn't have flu shots," Fretz said. "They started at 10:00 and they are all out already."
On Friday, the store was offering flu shots, but had a limited number. People lined up as early as 5:00am. At 8:00, Tops handed out about 250 vouchers for the shots. But by 8:20, they were all gone. Inside the store lobby, those able to get a voucher waited in line the shot. Most were senior citizens camped out in lawn chairs. Pat Oddo of Buffalo waited with her husband to get his shot.
"It is a very sad situation," Oddo said. "So many elderly people come in and walk out so disappointed. It's terrible."
One local health expert says the flu shot shortage is a "crisis" for the health care industry and consumers. Doctor Jay Pomerantz is vice president and chief medical Officer at Univera Healthcare.
"I'm very concerned as the flu season arrives," Pomerantz said. "If it is anything like last year's flu season started, with a great deal of illness and significant death rates, it is going to be very, very concerning."
Doctor Pomerantz says consumers need to be honest. He says those who don't fall under the "at risk" guidelines should not be rolling up their sleeve.