Americans’ Responses To The 2004 Influenza Vaccine Shortage

Polling taken during the 2004 influenza vaccine shortage found a high level of public concern but no consensus on who should be responsible for solving the problem. A substantial minority questioned whether the vaccine should be reserved for high-risk groups, while a majority thought that care providers should be responsible for allocating it. Many people did not seek vaccination for reasons beyond the shortage, including concerns about safety and efficacy and the perceived low risk from influenza. Although some have suggested that this might have been a successful case of health care rationing, it might not be generalizable to shortages of vaccines for other diseases.