We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
THERE ARE CONCERNS about delays in deliveries of the flu vaccine as GPs and pharmacies attempt to provide the vaccine to vulnerable groups in the community before winter.
HSE Chief Clinical Officer Dr Colm Henry today confirmed the drug company notified the HSE that the latest delivery of vaccinations will be delayed. He said despite the “timing issues” with this third batch, the HSE remains on target to deliver 1.4 million vaccines this year.
He said the HSE is reinforcing the message to primary care providers and pharmacies this week to retain the vaccines for those in priority groups.
The Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU) has said it shares the public’s frustration about the “significant delays”, but urged people to “bear with pharmacies as they manage queries about the availability” of the vaccine.
“We recognise this is a challenging environment for the HSE to operate in,” said IPU secretary general Darragh O’Loughlin today.
“There are global supply issues that are well publicised, and we know from our pharmacy colleagues abroad that these problems are having an impact all across Europe and further afield. Unfortunately, it is still not clear when or if these supply issues will be fully resolved.
This year has seen a huge increase in requests for flu vaccination, which is encouraging, except that many pharmacies and GPs are unable to procure enough vaccines. The fact that we can’t tell patients exactly when we will have vaccines available is leading to huge amounts of uncertainty and frustration, with people fed up of having their appointments rescheduled or cancelled due to the shortage of vaccines.
O’Loughlin said this has potential to undermine this year’s vaccination programme.
“It is disheartening to all those involved that ongoing vaccine shortages are stymieing the service and information remains elusive.”
Dr Nuala O’Connor, Cork GP and Covid lead for the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP), told TheJournal.ie that while many people may want to get the vaccine this year, GPs will have to give priority to those in vulnerable groups.
“The stocks haven’t come into the country and that’s nobody’s fault, the HSE was let down by their supply chain. We’d love to give it as much as we can as quickly as possible but we have to wait until we have it in the surgery,” she said.
“The thing is that a lot of people might like to get it but we do have to prioritise people in the at risk groups, to everyone over 65, people in nursing homes, those with chronic conditions and healthcare workers. We need to prioritise those first and hopefully if we can access more later on then other people outside of that could get it.”
She said the nasal flu vaccination that has been rolled out for children between the ages of two and 12 will be vital this year.
“It’s an incredibly important public health measure because we know that in contrast to Covid, children are vectors for the transmission of flu. If we can successfully vaccinate them we will protect more vulnerable people.”
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Another false promise from the government and the HSE.. surprise surprise
@LFCMAD_94: Typical. Blame the HSE and our government fir a worldwide shortage of the flu vacine.
@Alan: did I blame them for shortages? I blamed them for promising things they will never deliever
@LFCMAD_94: typical person who didn’t read the article before posting
@Alan: don’t think it is the HSE or government fault.. BLAME the pharmaceutical company’s greed.. the uk seem to have enough. What are we being charged? What are other countries being charged? I smell foul play.. and greed .
The ceo of hse Paul Reid should be sacked. He comes on TV as if he runs the hse without fault. He is a W a s t e r with no health background and get paid an absorbent amount to push paper and read out prepared statements on tv that are written for him. He can’t even get the flu vacine right,when he new this was coming .
A total waste of money that a monkey could do his job.
No issue here rang my Dr a week ago for flu jab had my appointment Tuesday gone. Both my parents only had to wait a few days my friend only had to wait a few days and got both his flu jab and pneumonia jab.
@Tom Harpur Photography: Someone give this man his medal.
@Tom Harpur Photography: lucky you.. none in the north east
If you could get through to the gp it might help.
This country is the biggest joke. Encouraging everyone to get the flu vaccine and not even having enough for the most vulnerable. Absolute shambles
Flu cases are going to plummet this year anyway with all this social distancing. Flu is not as contagious as COVID.
@J: and it’s the same cohort that is at risk from Covid. So they are unlikely to be hit with the flu and Covid at separate times
@Anne Marie Devlin: why?
@J: Most flu variants would be just as contagious as Covid, but dont spread as widely due to limited opportunity. The majority of people infected with Covid can be walking around and interacting with others while having little or no symptoms for the entirety of their infection. The majority of people infected with a flu virus will have nasty, fast onset symptoms which means they will be at home in bed and interacting with very few within hours of the symptoms first appearing. I’ve only had flu twice in my life with the last time being roughly 25yrs ago, but its an illness you don’t forget in a hurry.
“In contrast to COVID, children are vectors for flu”. This is ridiculous. Of course children spread COVID. Not their fault but they spread everything. As a mother myself, I have first hand experience of this. Not saying we should close schools but thinking that kids don’t spread it is serious denial.
One thing this pandemic showed was that the medical system in France isn’t quite as good as people thought it was, but we can still get the flu vaccine free at any pharmacy….
@David Stapleton: only if they have a supply!!
Any update on the flu vaccine supply situation? Looks like loads of vulnerable people are not going to be able to get it this year
have your say