Like most years, Ann Arbor-based Integrated Health Associates put in an order for this year’s annual seasonal flu vaccine at the beginning of the year.

IHA began receiving shipments of the vaccine in August, which is earlier than usual, said Susan Bass, IHA’s operations and compliance project manager.

The health care group began distributing the flu vaccine earlier than usual too. But shipments slowed to a near trickle, and IHA received much less vaccine that usual, while demand is larger than usual.

A patient gets a flu vaccine.

The Associated Press

It’s the same story at health providers around Washtenaw County, where seasonal flu vaccines - if still available - are being carefully rationed.

“(Patients) are getting very angry. The fact is we just can’t get it,” said Mary Durfee, an internal medicine physician and administrator at IHA. “We’re frustrated because our patients are frustrated.”

Across the country, health departments have reported increased interest in the seasonal flu vaccine. They attribute the increase, in part, to increased awareness about vaccinations due to fears about the swine flu, or novel H1N1 flu strain.

At the same time, providers say they have been receiving smaller than usual shipments of the seasonal flu vaccine as certain vaccine manufacturers refocus their efforts on the development of the H1N1 flu vaccine.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced last week that production of the H1N1 vaccine was occurring at a slower pace than originally expected.

Last week, the county announced it had only received about 30 percent of its expected dosage of the vaccine for the H1N1 flu strain. So far, Michigan has received 308,300 doses of the vaccine, according to the CDC.

When it comes to the seasonal flu strain vaccine, the county and other health care providers are running out for now.

Earlier this month, the Michigan Visiting Nurses, which help disperse vaccines at the University of Michigan and St. Joseph Mercy hospital clinics, announced it would have to cancel some of its annual seasonal flu vaccine clinics due to high demand and limited supply.

Clinics have been rescheduled for mid-November when supplies are expected to be replenished.

County epidemiologist Laura Bauman said those interested in finding providers who have doses available will likely have to ask around to find one.

“The only good from all of this is, so far, we’ve seen no seasonal flu cases,” Bauman said. “You still have time to get this vaccine because we still haven’t seen any of it yet.”

POLL: Do you plan to get a flu shot?

Tina Reed covers health and the environment for AnnArbor.com. You can reach her at tinareed@annarbor.com, call her at 734-623-2535 or find her on Twitter @TreedinAA.