As the NYC public school system now requires TDaP vaccine for all 11-year-olds entering 6th grade, we have plenty of both the VFC and the non-VFC TDaP.
Hepatitis A and second chicken pox vaccines are strongly recommended by the Health Department (first chicken pox vaccine has been required for a while). There is, however, a nationwide shortage of the chickenpox vaccine, and we have run out.
The story is even more complicated regarding flu vaccine. The popular Flumist (nasal flu vaccine, not a shot) may or may not be available this season at all. The shots should be available, but the 6-to-36 months variety should be available first, followed by the 3-year-and-over variety, and as before, we may see big differences in VFC and non-VFC vaccine shipping times. We have had a number of complaints about it last year, and would urge all parties concerned to call Health Department to make VFC vaccine available as early as possible, as they are ultimately in charge of it.
As the school season approaches, I would urge everyone to read last year’s posts, either at the bottom of this page, or on the next. As nothing has changed in the school system, I expect to see the same problems this year as well.
