Health department experiences vaccine shortage for uninsured adults
By Chris Fortune
Adult vaccines supplied through a federally funded program are in short supply at the St. Joseph Health Department.
The health department announced that it has about a two-week supply of vaccines provided by the Section 317 program, which provides vaccines for uninsured and underinsured adults.
“Things like this happen periodically, and we work around them the best we can,” said Stephanie Malita, health educator and public information officer. “There are other options for people to get vaccines, whether it’s through a pharmacy or another health care provider, or wait a few weeks and get back with us and see if we’re back in stock.”
About 85% of the adults who visit the health department for a vaccine are uninsured or underinsured. From the start of 2024 through April, 384 adults who are uninsured or underinsured have come into the clinic for a vaccine.
“It is significant because we offer it for free,” she said. “That’s the difference. The vaccine is available, but it’s something that might have to be paid for if you need it immediately.”
Vaccines are still available for visitors with Medicare, Medicaid or health insurance that covers immunizations. The shortage of vaccines for uninsured adults does not affect children’s vaccines.
“As we move through the summer months, we will get busier and busier in that lobby, and our immunization nurses will get a lot busier,” she said. “So knowing that this (Section) 317 shortfall does not impact children’s vaccines is really important.”
Malita said these shortages have happened in the past, and she is hopeful the stock of vaccines for uninsured adults will replenish within a month.
“It’s something that has happened before and we anticipate it happening again, but it always corrects itself within a few weeks,” she said. “So we should be back on track by then, but we can’t make any promises to that effect.”
The health department’s immunization clinic is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The clinic is closed on the last day of each month during the afternoon to conduct vaccine inventory.
