Last modified: Thursday, October 7, 2004 2:03 PM PDT TAMI HART | Argus Observer 'No flu shots,' is the message in the window at the Malheur County Health Department, Wednesday afternoon. Because of the loss of a major vaccine supply, health officials are asking healthy people to defer from getting shots to save vaccine for those at high risk of getting the flu. Local health care officials review vaccine shortage Larry Meyer Argus Observer ONTARIO Health officials in Malheur County are joining others across the state and country in an attempt to assess the impact of a flu vaccine shortage. Chiron Corporation, a maker of influenza virus vaccine, issued an announcement Tuesday that the British regulatory body for medicines and health care products had suspended the company's license to manufacture its flu vaccine in a Liverpool, England, facility. That suspension prevents the company from releasing any of its product during the 2004-2005 influenza season, according to a company press release. Penny Walters, director of the Malheur County Health Department, said the British firm manufactures about 50 percent of flu vaccine used in the United States. Walters said the health department ordered its vaccine from another company and has received about one third of that order and is not sure if it will receive any more. However, she said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention could pull vaccine from health care providers who already have it for redistribution elsewhere. A notice was posted at the department that flu shots are not being given there at this time. "We're doing a survey in the county to see how much vaccine there is," Walters said. The health department is working with Dr. Morris Smith, county health officer, to survey the local medical clinics and other entities which may also have vaccine, she said. She said officials should know by Oct. 18 of how much there is and should have a recommendation on who should be getting the shots and where the vaccine is available. At Holy Rosary Medical Center, officials are also in the process of assessing the situation there, and who should receive shots. "Much of the staff receives flu shots," Angie Sillonis, HRMC marketing director, said, although it is voluntary. She said the hospital also already has some flu vaccine. "Catholic Health Initiatives is working on getting some flu vaccine for later in the season," Sillonis said. The vaccine CHI receives later in the season would be for low-risk people. The high and low risk designation is for staff as much as patients, she said, because, obviously, many staff members deliver direct patient care. Exactly which staff members are the most high-risk has not been determined, she said. "This is a severe blow to the nation's efforts to prevent influenza, and we know it challenge both medical providers and the public," Dr. Grant Higginson, state public health officers in the Oregon Department of Human Services, said. In a statement released Wednesday, he said, "We are working with our partners around the state to minimize the extent to which Oregon's flu vaccination efforts will be affected by this, although we know that the effect will be substantial. Higginson said the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention is advising health-care providers to give flu shots to people in high-risk groups, including; children 23 months and under, Adults 65 and older, anyone with underlying chronic medical conditions, women who will be pregnant during influenza season, residents of long-term care facilities, children on chronic aspirin therapy and health-care workers who deliver direct patient care. Larry Meyer is a reporter for the Argus Observer. He can be contacted at (541) 889-5387, or by e-mail, LarryM@argusobserver.com.