Winter flu jab stocks running low

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Thank heavens for small favors

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4456876.stm

Tuesday, 22 November 2005, 07:36 GMT

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Winter flu jab stocks running low

Woman sneezing

The vaccine does not protect against bird flu

Ministers have announced a shortage of flu vaccine, despite their recent

pledge that this would not occur.

The Department of Health is advising GPs in England to use remaining stocks

on those at highest risk.

It blames the shortage on demand outstripping supply, most likely fuelled

by public concerns about the threat of a possible bird flu pandemic.

The vaccine does not protect against avian flu, but offers some protection

against common winter influenza.

Use what vaccine you have wisely and use it for people with high risk

factors who should be your priority

A government expert said GPs either did not order enough vaccines, or have

been giving them to people not in high risk groups. That accusation has

been hotly denied by doctors.

Those at high risk of seasonal flu have been urged to get themselves

vaccinated.

They include the over-65s and people with health problems such as heart

disease, asthma and diabetes.

The Department of Health said the 14.5 million vaccine doses that had been

ordered by GPs from manufacturers have all been used, which, in theory,

should be enough to protect the 11 million people deemed high risk.

Shortages

The 400,000 doses held by the DoH as a contingency have also been virtually

used up.

The DoH said it had ordered another 200,000 doses to arrive by the end of

January, but this may be too late for some.

HIGH RISK GROUPS

People aged 65 and older

People with diabetes, chronic respiratory conditions such as asthma,

serious heart or kidney disease

People with lowered immunity due to disease or treatment such as steroid

medication or cancer therapy

The government has a national target of 70% uptake of immunisation for

people aged 65 years and over.

It is not yet known whether all of the high risk groups eligible for the

flu vaccine have already had their jab.

Dr Salisbury, head of immunisation at the Department of Health, said

it was possible that some of the doses had been given to the " worried well "

rather than high risk groups.

This year, for the first time, the government said people who are the

primary carers for elderly or disabled patients would be eligible for the

vaccine.

Rationing

The Department of Health said it has now written to GPs in England to

inform them that they should no longer order flu vaccine stocks direct from

suppliers.

Dr Salisbury advised GPs: " Use what vaccine you have wisely and use it for

people with high risk factors who should be your priority.

" Those are people over the age of 65 and people under 65 with medical

conditions that put them at risk. "

He advised anyone eligible for the vaccine who had not yet been immunised:

" If you are somebody with a risk factor you should be on your GP's list.

Make sure they don't forget you. "

Dr Salisbury said there was no evidence that there had been an increased

take up among people in vulnerable groups.

" Either GPs did not order enough for all of the people with risk factors,

or the vaccine has gone somewhere else, " he said.

FLU

Flu is estimated to kill several thousand people in the UK each year

10-15% of the population develop flu each year

100,000 flu particles can be projected into the air with just one sneeze

In 12 hours, the flu virus can invade 1 million nose and throat cells

Dr ce Buckman, deputy chairman of the British Medical Association's

GPs Committee, said: " Patients will feel they have been let down.

" GPs were told there would be enough vaccine and now it seems this is not

the case. There is no evidence that family doctors have been using the flu

vaccine inappropriately.

" While some practices have had sufficient vaccine, others will currently

have to turn eligible patients away. This is unacceptable. "

Dr Buckman argued there was little evidence that the vaccine had been given

out to those not in the higher risk groups.

He said the current situation showed that previous years' flu vaccine

uptake figures were not a good enough measure of what uptake would be in

future years.

The chairman of the Royal College of GPs, Dr Mayur Lakhani, said: " I am

sure that, by and large, all flu vaccines are being given only to high-risk

patients.

" As a College we agree with a targeted approach to flu immunisation. "

Last year there was a short delay in the flu jab supply to some doctors'

surgeries following a temporary suspension of a manufacturers' licence.

--------------------------------------------------------

Sheri Nakken, R.N., MA, Classical Homeopath

Vaccination Information & Choice Network, Nevada City CA & Wales UK

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