LEWISTON - Schools are closing, flu cases are on the rise, and vaccine is in short supply.

Culdesac School and Kamiah Elementary are closed for the rest of the week because of the threat of swine flu and high absenteeism.

"Most of these children are not sick enough to warrant a physician visit, so none of that testing has been done," said North Central District Health Director Carol Moehrle. "Fortunately, we haven't seen hospitalizations."

Moehrle said Wednesday that they hadn't had any news of further closures. Public Health Idaho received it's second shipment of swine flu vaccine Wednesday and now has a limited supply of both nasal spray and injectable vaccine. But Moehrle said so few doses have been distributed that they can't yet address the problem in specific schools, though children are among those being prioritized for doses.

Moehrle also warned of a shortage of seasonal vaccine earlier this month, and said Wednesday that the threat of both viruses has kept demand high, as supply has shrunk.

"We've had more phone calls about both, but seasonal flu especially. People are concerned they can't get their seasonal flu shot and they're used to getting that on a routine basis," said Moehrle.

Valley Medical Center cancelled their adult flu clinics for the season due to the shortage. Moehrle said the presence of swine flu shifted the focus of manufacturers this year.

"Many of the pharmacies that do get doses are ending the amounts that they have also," said Moehrle. "So, to us this is a shortage year."

And the seasonal flu vaccine supply is also shrinking in Asotin County.

"Our supply is dwindling," said Asotin County Health District Administrator Joe Lillard. "We started off with 1300 doses and we are about down to 100 doses of the adult seasonal vaccine. I did an inventory of the pharmacies here in town this (Wednesday) morning. Albertsons has only about five doses left, Bimart has about 100 doses, Costco is having one more flu clinic from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Monday the 19th and that will be all that they will do. And Wasem’s has about 50 doses that they hope to be able to administer sometime next week."

Walmart will hold their last flu clinic from 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Thursday.

Lillard said they expect the supply to be gone by the end of the week.

"We've been told that this is it," said Lillard. "Maybe after the 1st of the year, but all the distributors that we've talked to, they've ceased production and are working on H1N1."

With the threat of different flu strains, Lillard said they saw a significant increase in people attending their flu shot clinics.

When it comes to the swine flu, the health department has received 300 H1N1 nasal vaccines reserved for kids and 200 injectables.

"The 200 doses of the injectable, the priority for those is pregnant women, child care providers and people who have children in their home 6 months or younger," said Lillard. "We need to get them vaccinated so they don't expose a child under 6 months."

As we mentioned, some schools are shut down because of large numbers of kids with what appears to be swine flu. Lillard said Asotin County schools have yet to see a significant increase in absenteeism.

If you are living with a baby under 6 months old and would like a H1N1 flu shot you are asked to call the health department at 758-3344.