My office finally got its supply of flu vaccine this week—later than usual but in plenty of time for flu season, which usually doesn't start until late December. Yet being offered a regular flu shot doesn't seem to reassure my patients. They're worried about bird flu. Last Thursday was typical: Five patients begged for prescriptions for the antiviral drug Tamiflu, and two asked for a shot of bird flu vaccine, which doesn't yet exist. The last patient of the day muttered as he was leaving, "Bird flu is going to get us all this year."
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