Vaccination Programme

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 November 2020

Tuesday, 17 November 2020

Questions (712, 730, 750, 753, 839)

Paul McAuliffe

Question:

712. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Health if there is a national shortage of the flu vaccine for adults; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36261/20]

Pádraig O'Sullivan

Question:

730. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the status of the winter flu vaccination programme; when it is due to be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36324/20]

Denise Mitchell

Question:

750. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Health when the flu vaccine will be widely available again; the steps being taken to secure vaccines to address the current shortage; his plans to prioritise those most at risk with access to vaccines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36462/20]

Cian O'Callaghan

Question:

753. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the shortages of availability of the 2020 flu vaccine; the number on waiting lists for the vaccine; the length of time until there will be adequate supply to vaccinate all those seeking vaccination; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36487/20]

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

839. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health the steps he has taken to ensure that adequate supplies of flu vaccine are available to all general practitioners to cover all target groups - the old, the pregnant and the disabled - and other vulnerable persons with serious underlying conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36989/20]

Written answers

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 712, 730, 750, 753 and 839 together.

The Government has expanded the provision of seasonal influenza vaccination without charge to all of those in the HSE-defined at-risk groups, including healthcare workers, and to all children aged from 2 to 12 years. Vaccines are being administered via GPs and pharmacists, as in previous years.

This season, 1.95 million doses of influenza vaccine have been purchased, which is double the amount administered last season. The HSE has procured 1.35 million doses of the Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine (QIV) for the forthcoming winter. This vaccine is being made available to all persons in an at-risk group and aged from 6 months up. In addition, the HSE has also purchased 600,000 doses of the Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine (LAIV), which is delivered via nasal drops rather than by injection and is being made available to all children aged from 2 to 12 years old inclusive.

Deliveries of this vaccine from the manufacturer were not as quick as we would have liked, due to the very challenging international market for flu vaccines. It is also true that demand for vaccination this year is unprecedented. This is the case across Europe and beyond, and in this context it is unlikely that additional supply will become available.

I can confirm that 1.3 million of the 1.35 million doses of flu vaccine available this winter have been distributed to GPs, pharmacists and other vaccination sites since early October. In addition, 420,000 doses of the LAIV for administration to children aged from 2 to 12 have been distributed.

Demand for vaccination remains strong at this point and may exceed available supply. It is likely that the full amount procured, 1.35 million doses, will be distributed and administered. As a consequence, from the fourth round of deliveries which started on 23 October, GPs and pharmacists have been asked that of remaining patients in at-risk groups, priority should be given to the over-65s and healthcare workers with direct patient contact, in line with WHO advice.

Each year a certain amount of vaccine is “held back” to ensure those in at-risk groups receive vaccines. With the unprecedented demand this year it is important that the HSE manage the distribution of the remaining doses in order to target administration to the at-risk groups who need it the most. The distribution of the final 50,000 doses will commence by the end of this month. The significant increase in uptake among those in the at-risk groups, combined with the addition of vaccination for children aged from 2 to 12, will help reduce the impact of influenza on the community and the health system.

Vaccinations are ordered well in advance – the HSE placed its order for the vaccine for those in at-risk groups in February. The HSE order for the 2020/21 season was 20% greater than the order for the 2019/20 season and about 35% more than 2019/20 uptake. These figures do not include the additional 600,000 doses of vaccine ordered for children aged from 2 – 12, which would bring to almost 75% the additional number of doses of vaccine available this year. Given the demand on the international market for influenza vaccine, it is not realistically possible to procure more vaccine at this point.

When the vaccination programme is complete, we will have vaccinated more people in at-risk groups than ever before. Current trends suggest that at least 350,000 more individuals in the at-risk groups will receive the flu vaccine this winter than last, including those over 65 and healthcare workers. In addition, over 100,000 children have already received the vaccination which is being provided without charge this year for the first time. I expect this number to increase significantly in the coming weeks also.