Not one person called Sen. Ron Klein's office to complain about waiting in line for a flu shot over the past few months.

It was a sharp contrast to last year, when the Delray Beach Democrat was bombarded with hundreds of calls from some of the thousands of seniors stuck waiting for the vaccine outside supermarkets and drug stores.

 

That scenario didn't play out this year because of the efforts of local leaders who brought the vaccine to individual communities, Klein said. Also, there was no vaccine shortage or shipping delay this year.

About 7,000 residents living west of Delray Beach received shots in 37 communities. Leaders had originally ordered 10,000 doses of the serum, but reduced their order after noticing doctors were able to supply the vaccine themselves.

"We didn't know the serum was going to be so readily available," said Bob Schulbaum, president of the Alliance of Residential Associations, which represents 63,000 residents. "In the past two years, there was a panic for the serum."

Many doctors last year refused to order the vaccine, partly because Medicare reimbursements do not cover the entire cost. If the serum is late and demand dwindles, doctors are stuck with the bill. With few other options, many seniors turned to the first-come, first-serve shot drives organized by Maxim Healthcare Services of Boynton Beach.

This year's distribution effort involved south county community leaders, Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue, and churches and synagogues. Klein called the experiment a success and said he wants to expand the program to other areas of the county with high senior populations.

Census figures show about 23 percent of the county's 1.1 million residents are 65 or older.

Community leaders, health officials, drug manufacturers and distributors will meet next month to discuss the program's strengths and weaknesses and assess possible changes.

For example, fire-rescue officials had anticipated giving 3,000 shots door-to-door, but only distributed a few hundred. Health department spokesman Tim O'Connor said they might not have been as popular as expected because people went to their doctors for the shot.

About 1,600 residents at Kings Point in West Delray received shots. O'Connor said the program will stay in places like that retirement community, where demand is high.

In suburban Boca Raton -- an area with a population of 115,000 -- only about 1,500 people received shots. At Boca Pointe, one of the largest communities with 8,000 residents, only 400 people were vaccinated.

Though the turnout was low, Sheri Scarborough said the program was successful. As president of the West Boca Community Council, Scarborough said the goal was to offer a convenient option for seniors.

"The people most at risk got it from their doctor," she said. "That's where they should go."