MAKING THE BEST OF LIMITED FLU VACCINE ...

Let's face it: Flu shots this year have been hard to come by. While the Cape Girardeau County Health Department and some area physicians have received partial orders of the hard-to-come-by vaccine, other counties in Southeast Missouri haven't received a single dose.

The makers of the vaccine had problems early on and had to start over. This means that the limited number of doses has been much sought after, particularly by individuals in high-risk groups.

The county health department has done a wonderful job with short supplies of the vaccine. As usual, the health department's flu-shot clinics have been models of efficiency. Long lines have moved quickly, and the processing has been well-organized.

It would be nice if we could announce that ample supplies of the vaccine are now available. Unfortunately, the vaccine is still limited nationwide. Please be patient. The health department will make every effort to notify the public when the next shots are scheduled. And they will be ready to handle the lines once again.