CHARLESTON - The Coles County Health Department is setting priorities for who will receive flu shots because of shortages of vaccine, department officials announced.

The announcement said flu-shot clinics are still being planned, but the department has no information on how much of the vaccine it will get or when it will arrive.

Last year, vaccine producers did not make enough of the flu shots. This year, the license of one of two major producers was suspended for three months, effectively eliminating it for the flu season.

"It seems like every year there's some new challenge," said Michelle Mathews, communicable disease investigator for the Coles County Health Department. "We don't want people to panic. We'll keep people posted."

Last year, the Coles County Health Department vaccinated 4,000 people.

Mathews said October and November are the optimal times for flu shots.

"The flu season peaks in February, and it takes about three months for the vaccine to be at its optimum strength," she said.

When the vaccine does arrive, priority will go to people who are especially vulnerable to the flu. Others are being asked to wait or perhaps not be vaccinated this year, the health department announcement said. The priority categories are:

n Children 6 to 23 months of age.

n Adults age 65 and older.

n Anyone age 2 to 64 years with an underlying medical condition.

n Pregnant women.

n Residents of long-term care facilities.

n Children ages 6 months to 18 years receiving long-term aspirin therapy.

n Health care workers providing direct patient care.

n Caregivers of children younger than 6 months.

Prices for the vaccine are $17 for adults and $7 for children. But Mathews said the health department never refuses a child, despite a family's inability to pay.