The companies, Chrion and Aventis Pasteur, normally make about 80 million doses of vaccine a season. That's usually enough to meet the demand in the United States. But this year there are fears of a particularly bad flu season and that's caused higher demand than normal.
The companies say they won't be able to produce any more vaccine this season because the process takes four months.
Flu vaccine is still available in Canada. However Shire Biochemical, which supplies about 75 per cent of the vaccine in Canada, says it has had requests for more doses from western provinces.
The company says it will devote its entire stock to the public market. That means that private companies that normally offer flu vaccine clinics for their employees, may not be able to acquire enough vaccine to continue those programs.
Flu shots typically protect between 70 and 90 per cent of those under age 65. The elderly and children are more susceptible to infection.
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