The holiday season is over, but some local officials said the flu season is just starting to hit hard in DeKalb County.

“Our emergency room doctors report the flu season has hit,” said Sharon Emanuelson, marketing and public relations director for Kishwaukee Community Hospital, 626 Bethany Rd.

The hospital has seen an increase in influenza patients during the last two weeks, she said.

“Several people have been admitted with the flu, but it’s too early to tell if the vaccine shortage will result in more patients than usual,” Emanuelson said. “Most people who needed the vaccine got it.”

So far, the hospital has not seen any deaths because of influenza this season, she said.

Last year, the United States experienced a vaccine shortage because Chiron Corporation, a Britain-based vaccine supplier, was suspended from making the vaccine after concerns of bacterial contamination arose in August.

The shortage caused the county to only distribute the vaccine to those who fell under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidelines, said Karen Grush, health department administrator.

Included in those guidelines are those at high risk, such as people ages two to 64 with underlying chronic medical conditions, pregnant women and residents of nursing homes or long-term care facilities.

“There was a shortage, but everyone [who needed it] had access to the vaccine at the end,” Grush said.

The county currently is out of the vaccine and will not receive anymore in this season. Throughout October, November and December, the county gave out about 1,400 vaccinations, she said.

County officials chose not to order more because the flu season typically peaks in January, and they knew there would not be a demand, Grush said.

“We were never in a situation where we had to turn people away. We had enough vaccines for people under the guidelines,” she said.

Residents were aware of the shortage and took note of it before attempting to get one, she said.

“Even elderly who were healthy decided to save if for people who needed it,” Grush said.

NIU Health Services has about 10 to 15 shots still available to those who fall under the guidelines, said Carol Sibley, a registered nurse in preventive medicine at Health Services.

So far this season, Health Services has given about 150 shots but only to NIU students. The university has worked out programs for university employees to get vaccinated, but it was done in conjunction with the county, she said.

Health Services did not experience a shortage this season because it did not order through Chiron. It actually had more vaccines than demanded, Sibley said. The extra vaccines were reallocated by the end of December to other health departments and hospitals in need.

Although Kishwaukee has seen an increase in flu patients, Health Services has yet to see a large impact.

“It’s been pretty isolated,” Sibley said. “We haven’t had a big cluster that would tell us we’ve gotten into the season.”

The flu season continues through March and Health Services will continue to vaccinate until it runs out.

“Most people think, ‘If I haven’t gotten it yet I’m not going to,’ but people still can,” Grush said.

Flu shots are $10 at Health Services and also may be available through a personal doctor. The hospital is not licensed to give out flu shots.

“It’s never too late to get a flu shot because you get protection,” Sibley said.