Lots of Flu Vaccine on Capitol Hill

WASHINGTON —  Despite a nationwide flu shot shortage -- and President Bush’s declaration that he will personally forgo a vaccination to help stretch scarce supplies -- members of Congress are able to get shots even if they don’t fall in a high-risk group.

Capitol attending physician John Eisold on Tuesday defended his decision to make flu shots available to lawmakers, saying they not only were in constant contact with the public -- kissing babies, for example, and visiting nursing homes -- but they must remain healthy to ensure the continuity of government.

So far, his office has given out about 2,000 shots to lawmakers and their staff members, he said, and about 1,000 shots are left.

The shots have been made available to any lawmaker who wants one, regardless of age or health, at a time when seniors around the country have been forced to stand in line for hours waiting to get a shot.

A Senate Republican leadership aide said individual senators and House members would have to decide whether to get a shot. There currently are 533 lawmakers; two House seats are vacant.

It was not known how many members of Congress had received vaccinations. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.), a heart surgeon before he was elected to the Senate, was among those who acknowledged receiving a vaccination, but a spokesman said he received the shot before the shortage became known.

Eisold said he viewed members of Congress as a high risk -- a “high risk to other people when they go home. They’re seeing lots of people. They’re going to nursing homes. They’re going to kiss babies. It’s important they not be a risk to other people.”

He said it also was important to ensure that there were enough healthy lawmakers to keep Congress functioning.

Eisold said he expected to give 3,000 flu shots on Capitol Hill this year. Last year, about 9,000 shots were administered.

“I want to make it very clear,” he said. “If anybody has any concerns about the policy, I take responsibility.”

Flu vaccines became scarce earlier this month when the British manufacturing plant that had been expected to supply the United States with 48 million doses, about half of the supply the United States expected, was closed by British authorities because of contamination. The plant is owned by Chiron Corp. of Emeryville, Calif.

Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson on Tuesday said that the flu vaccine “needs to go to those who are most vulnerable,” including seniors 65 and older, young children age 6 months to 23 months, and pregnant women.

In a statement, he urged people “not in the priority categories to forgo getting the flu vaccine because it takes a shot away from someone who needs it more.”

Thompson could not be reached for comment about the Capitol physician’s decision to make the shots available to members of Congress.