The flu has claimed a new victim — team spirit.
Panic over this year’s vicious strain of flu has prompted at least one city youth sports club to discourage kids from giving high-fives and fist bumps.
The Manhattan Soccer Club yesterday sent an e-mail to parents warning that “the safest thing to do is to touch elbows” during the traditional lineup for team high-fives.
Parents approved of the precautionary measure.
“It shows that [the club] is on top of what is going on with the flu outbreak, and they have come up with a great solution that shows good sportsmanship while also reducing the chance of transferring the flu,” said Andy Stenzler, whose 10-year-old daughter plays with the club.
Meanwhile, finding flu shots for kids is becoming harder for city parents, even after Gov. Cuomo allowed pharmacists to give vaccinations to kids from 6 months to 18 years old.
Normally, pharmacists can give them only to adults.
Big-chain pharmacies said store policy is still preventing them from giving many kids vaccines because they don’t have adequately trained personnel.
Worried parent Alison Brod said she couldn’t find a Manhattan pharmacy to give her two children, ages 5 and 7, the shot.
“We told [the kids] they could pick the candy of their choice to make up for it, and they were so excited,” she recalled.
“But half of the Duane Reades were out of flu shots, and they all said they wouldn’t give them to anyone” under a certain age.
She said her kids now have vaccination appointments with their pediatrician.
Duane Reade and Walgreens pharmacies in New York said they won’t give the shots to kids under 7. Target said it wasn’t ready to immunize anyone under 4. CVS said no one under 17.
Cuomo’s order “did not address other related issues that we are in the process of resolving before our pharmacists can vaccinate minors,” said CVS spokesman Mike DeAngelis.
In addition to the special care needed to administer the shots to children, kids must get different dosages, which not all drugstores carry, pharmacists said.
Cuomo administration officials yesterday told The Post they were working with pharmacies to help them safely vaccinate kids.
Additional reporting by Jennifer Gould Keil, Amy Stretten and Matt McNulty