"There are not enough providers in the community to handle the load," Rothholz said.,”In an attempt to shoo the flu, more pharmacists are being trained to give flu shots.

The number of vaccine providers currently does not match the mounting need for influenza vaccinations, said Mitch Rothholz, chief of staff of the American Pharmaceutical Association.

"There are not enough providers in the community to handle the load," Rothholz said.

The APhA has responded to this shortage by training pharmacists to administer flu vaccinations, Rothholz said.

The number of vaccine-certified pharmacists has been steadily increasing over the past few years, he said.

The APhA trains around 2,000 new pharmacists each year, Rothholz said. Approximately 25,000 pharmacists nation-wide are now vaccine certified by the APhA, he said.

Through the APhA, pharmacists undergo a 20-hour training program consisting of self-studies and hands-on work, Rothholz said. The program includes a study of the science of vaccines, clinical aspects, documentation and administration, he said. Pharmacists must show competency in administration of the vaccine before they can receive certification, he said.

Rothholz said training more pharmacists helps solve the problem of limited access to the flu vaccination.

Maintaining pharmacies that offer such vaccinations is a critical way to immunize more people by increasing the number of access points, said Mary Hayney, professor of pharmacy at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Pharmacies provide a great point of access because they have extended hours and neighborhood locations, Hayney said. In addition, appointments are not needed at pharmacies, she said.

In order to administer vaccinations, Wisconsin pharmacists are required by law to complete a training course, either in pharmacy school or through organizations like the APhA, she said.

Hayney said she has trained nearly 1,000 pharmacists at UW-Madison to provide vaccination services to patients. Pharmacists in Wisconsin have been immunizing patients since 1998.

"If it's made available and offered to people, chances are they will be immunized," Hayney said.

The flu vaccination is currently available at many Milwaukee pharmacies such as Aurora, Kmart and some Walgreens Drug Store locations.

Mike Zerwinski, a pharmacist at Walgreens at 3522 W. Wisconsin Ave., said he underwent the APhA's pharmacist certification program in 2001. He said he learned to give immunizations for the flu, tetanus and hepatitis A and B to adults and children.

Pharmacists at Walgreens on 35th Street give anywhere from 10 to 200 flu shots a day, Zerwinski said.

Some Walgreens locations also offer walk-in vaccinations through Take Care Health Clinics, said Lauren Tierney, spokeswoman for Take Care.

Nurse practitioners at Milwaukee's eight Take Care Health Clinics have vaccinated more than 4,600 people since Oct. 1 of this year, she said.

Take Care is a subsidiary of Walgreens that provides access to nurse practitioners at neighborhood pharmacies, Tierney said. Take Care examination clinics are found adjacent to the pharmacy inside some Walgreens locations, she said.

Take Care offers flu vaccinations seven days a week and no appointment is necessary, said Patti Wilson, assistant lead nurse practitioner of the Milwaukee Take Care market.

The shot costs $24.99 or is covered by most insurance policies. Milwaukee's Take Care Clinics are open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Patients like the clinics because they can get in and get out quickly, Wilson said.

Take Care nurse practitioners are highly trained with at least seven years of experience in the Milwaukee market, Wilson said. All Take Care nurse practitioners have master's degrees and are not required to work under a physician. They practice independently but have a collaborative agreement with physicians to refer patients who need primary care back to physicians, she said.

But Rothholz said pharmacists are collaborating with physicians, just as nurse practitioners, to administer flu vaccinations.

There is no difference between a physician and a pharmacist administering a flu shot, he said.

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