Seminole resident David Weiss usually gets a flu shot from his physician, but the vaccine shortage means that the 40-year-old plans to take a cruise to the Bahamas to get this year’s inoculation.
Weiss is one of more than 150 people who have signed up so far for one-day cruises from Fort Lauderdale to Freeport Tuesday through Thursday. During the stopover of several hours in Freeport, nurses in the cruise terminal will give the shots.
Weiss, who works in a Clearwater copy shop and gets a shot every year, says he was unable to get vaccinated this time around. So when Weiss found a notice about the flu cruise he decided to sign up.
“I thought a one-day minivacation would be fun,” he said.
Winter Haven businessman Espen Tandberg hopes he finds several hundred more people like Weiss. His travel company, Immediate Services, has purchased 1,500 spaces on Discovery Cruise Line and has contracted with a Bahamian pharmacy wholesaler, Coral Pharmaceuticals Ltd., to give the shots.
Tandberg said his profit on the $154 package comes solely from the cruise.
Coral Pharmaceuticals owner Carlita Carolina says she has secured the vaccine from a European distributor.
By RANDY DIAMOND rdiamond@tampatrib.com
