U of M postpones flu vaccinations

The University of Minnesota has postponed two seasonal flu vaccine clinics scheduled this week and next.

Dr. Ed Ehlinger, director of the campus health clinic, says the university doesn't have enough vaccine to run the clinics, and the manufacturers won't be able to deliver more doses until October.

"We're told that the vaccine is taking a little bit longer to grow than what they had anticipated. One of the strains within the vaccine is growing a little bit more slowly," said Ehlinger. "So we still anticipate that we will be getting vaccine. It just won't be as early as we had thought."

Last week the university immunized 2,000 students and staff during its first seasonal flu vaccine clinic.

Demand for the shots was so great that most people waited an average of 40 minutes to get vaccinated.

"We're not meeting the expectations of the population we're supposed to be serving," Ehlinger said.

The university still has another 500 doses. But it is reserving those shots for people who are at high risk for flu complications.