Denver
Colorado, Texas, and several other states began rationing the flu vaccine this week after their supplies ran perilously low and the manufacturers of the shots announced that they had run out. “It’s all gone,” said a spokesman for one of the companies, Chiron. A near-record number of Americans rushed to get vaccinated after doctors warned that this year’s outbreak could be the worst in a generation. A particularly virulent strain of the virus is going around, and even the vaccine may not offer total protection. Influenza kills 36,000 Americans in a typical year, but the Centers for Disease Control said 70,000 could die before this flu season ends in March. “It’s pretty close to a crisis,” a hospital official said.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.