Inova Health System puts seasonal flu clinics on hold

WASHINGTON - Inova Health System has been forced to cancel some seasonal flu clinics.

Some manufacturers have stopped producing seasonal flu vaccine altogether to focus on making the H1N1 flu vaccine.

"For this reason, we're putting most of our community clinics on hold other than at some select locations where the highest risk community members are located, such as the family clinics where we immunize children, senior centers, places like that," says Rachel Lynch with the Inova Health System.

Lynch says the system hopes to reschedule the majority of the clinics that have been canceled once more of the vaccine becomes available.

Other local hospitals such as Washington Adventist and Shady Grove Adventist received all of the seasonal flu vaccine they ordered.

"We've started our community clinics this week and so far we are at where we projected to be. We've not been overwhelmed," Judy Lichty with Adventist Health Care tells WTOP,

Lichty says it's OK to wait to get your seasonal flu shot because seasonal flu season typically doesn't peak until February or March.

For more information about clinics at the above named hospitals, visit Inova here and Washigton Adventist here.

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