Resthome residents uneasy about vaccine supply problems

Resthome resident Bill Stephenson would hate to go without his yearly flu shot.

"A dose of the flu might be the end of me, the way I am," the 86-year-old Aucklander said yesterday.

A resident of the Westharbour Lodge Rest Home in Massey, he has angina and severe arthritis.

He has been vaccinated against influenza annually for years and the Health Ministry's difficulties over this year's vaccine supplies have made him anxious.

"I was worried about it. I even asked the nurse to make inquiries.

"I would hate to be without any of my proper medication. I suffer enough with arthritis. I can hardly walk," Mr Stephenson said.

"I've had the flu once, about 10 years ago. I wanted to die, I was so ill."

Other Westharbour Lodge residents, too, are worried by the supply problems and the prospect of having to have two injections instead of one if they do not qualify for the 50,000 full-strength vaccine doses.

"I don't think I would have two injections," said Betty Harvey, 88, who has a spinal condition that makes her prone to falling.

"I thought I would have the flu vaccine this year, but with all the mucking around I don't know. I'll have to wait and see."

Len Young, aged 76, who has prostate cancer and a chronic lung condition, said he had been vaccinated for the last four or five years and did not want to miss out this year.

"We've got enough problems as it is without having to worry about that sort of thing," he said.

"I've had the flu a couple of times and it wasn't nice."