Campus health centers and the UC Davis Health System are juggling limited supplies of flu vaccine after a state order to limit vaccinations to individuals in high-risk categories.

And while the health system is urging its patients and employees to seek vaccinations elsewhere, it and the health centers are reminding employees and students to practice good hygiene as a way to ward off the flu.

Earlier this month, the state public health officer issued a public health order directing all healthcare providers to limit flu shots to those individuals in high-risk categories. These include: children 6 to 23 months old; adults 65 or older; persons aged 2 to 64 with underlying chronic medical conditions; women who will be pregnant during the flu season; residents of nursing homes and long-term care facilities; children 6 months to 18 years of age on chronic aspirin therapy; health-care workers with direct patient care.

The order followed an announcement by Chiron Corp. that none of its flu vaccine made in Liverpool, England, would be available this season due to manufacturing problems. This effectively cut by half the expected supply of flu vaccine in the United States.

Dr. Michelle Famula, director of the Cowell Student Health Center, said it has about 400 doses on hand. What's not used by Nov. 15 will be turned over to public health officials or to the UC Davis Health System for high-risk patients.

The student health center has already vaccinated about 200 high-risk individuals. Last year, it provided about 1,000 flu shots, mostly to low-risk individuals.

Clinical nurse Susan Cottier said Employee Health Services has received only about 30 of the 500 doses it pre-ordered from the manufacturer in December 2003, and the clinic borrowed about 90 doses from the student health center. The clinic has vaccinated about 30 employees considered at high-risk because they are involved in research on influenza at the California National Primate Research Center.

Before the public health order was issued, the employee clinic also vaccinated about 60 Student Housing staff. It has about 30 doses that Cottier said it owes back to the student health center.

The health system has received only limited supplies of the vaccine and is urging its patients and employees to seek flu shots outside the health system. Employee vaccinations are being reserved for those who care for high-risk patients to prevent them from spreading the disease to their vulnerable charges.

The health system is trying to obtain FluMist, an intranasal vaccine indicated only for healthy patients aged 5 to 49. It would offer the vaccine to certain groups of employees and patients. The health system has, however, received all of the pediatric vaccine doses it ordered, and it has distributed those to its clinics.

Famula and Dr. Michael O'Malley, director of the employee clinic suggest following this flu prevention advice from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them, too.
• Stay home when you are sick. If possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick. You will help prevent others from catching your illness.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing to help prevent those around you from getting sick.
• Wash your hands often. For more detail on proper technique, visit http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/op/handwashing.htm.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose or mouth.