Authorities’s flu jab ‘flip-flopping’ for over-50s might result in a SHORTAGE for hundreds of thousands 

Britain might run out of flu jabs this winter due to Authorities ‘flip-flopping’ over who will likely be eligible, it was claimed in the present day.

Officers initially deliberate to cut back the annual roll-out to solely over-65s, regardless of warnings the ‘reckless’ transfer would go away hundreds of thousands susceptible this winter.

However final week the Division of Well being U-turned on its stance, paving the best way for all over-50s to as soon as once more be provided free influenza vaccines.

Pharmacists worry the choice may influence provide by the point the programme kicks off in September, nonetheless.

They claimed that, as they have been following March’s steering, they’ve solely ordered sufficient flu jabs to cowl the over 65s and the susceptible. It raises the prospect there might be shortages this autumn, if final minute orders are unsuccessful.

However Authorities officers insist jab producers have confirmed sufficient jabs will likely be made accessible. 

One pharmacy supply informed The Telegraph that some flu jab makers may have already set their manufacturing capability for this season. 

They added that provision cant be ‘simply’ elevated.

The present planning of the rollout may have pre-school and first faculty kids, over-65s and people in scientific danger teams be the primary to get an invitation.

As soon as they’ve been given the jab, all 50 to 64-year-olds and 11 to 15-year-olds will likely be provided the injection.

Alastair Buxton, director of NHS companies on the Pharmaceutical Companies Negotiating Committee (PSNC), which represents NHS neighborhood pharmacies in England, blasted the Authorities’s inconsistency on free flu jab eligibility. 

‘The newest volte-face by the Authorities means contractors have to undertake additional work, doubtlessly undoing what they did earlier within the yr,’ he mentioned.

‘This isn’t the best way vital public well being coverage needs to be dealt with; we hope classes will likely be learnt to enhance the standard of the coverage improvement course of sooner or later.’

NHS England steering, revealed following information of the flu marketing campaign flip-flop, mentioned the timing of the vaccination for the 50-to-64-year-olds ‘will likely be introduced in the end, however it’s more likely to be later within the flu season’.

This doc additionally states that the Authorities has taken steps to make sure there will likely be sufficient flu jabs accessible.

‘The Division for Well being and Social Care have confirmed with the producers that extra vaccine for grownup cohorts is being made accessible for native suppliers to entry by their standard ordering processes,’ it reads.

The British Medical Affiliation has additionally criticised the Authorities’s about-face on free flu jab eligibility.

Dr Preeti Shukla, scientific and prescribing coverage lead for the union’s GP committee, mentioned: ‘We have now severe considerations that the dearth of organisation with which this announcement has been made goes to trigger extreme issues for practices.

‘The late enlargement of the flu vaccine programme, months after the annual flu letter went out to suppliers in March, will trigger appreciable difficulties as practices enter that essential winter interval. 

‘Many practices will have already got their flu programmes for the 22/23 season deliberate out and might want to reassess and doubtlessly reorganise their vaccine provides at a late stage to make sure that sufferers who want a vaccine can entry one.’ 

She additionally slammed DHSC for primarily passing off the accountability of sourcing the late additional jabs to GPs and pharmacists. 

‘We will surely have anticipated DHSC to have procured and equipped extra vaccines centrally, as in earlier years when extra age cohorts have been added to the flu vaccine programme late within the day,’ she mentioned.  

‘It’s particularly disappointing that as a substitute the burden and accountability is being handed on to practices.

‘In a yr when disruptions to produce chains of every kind have performed havoc with the worldwide financial system, it’s ever extra obvious what can go incorrect when these fundamentals should not sorted out.’    

Dr Shukla mentioned DHSC ought to make clear flu vaccine provide strains ‘as quickly as attainable’ so practices could make various preparations. 

DHSC didn’t reply to MailOnline asking what steps it had taken to make sure enough flu vaccine provide.

As a substitute, a spokesperson mentioned the choice to increase free flu jabs to to the 50-to-64-year-olds had been taken to ease strain on the NHS this winter.

Later this yr eligible Britons are anticipated to be provided each a Covid booster and a flu jab on the identical appointment — with an injection in every arm — the place attainable, as was achieved final yr. 

Britons ineligible for a free flu vaccine, or unable to get one, will nonetheless have the ability to purchase one from a pharmacy. Covid jabs received’t be be accessible privately but.

The NHS hasn’t confirmed when and the way eligible teams will have the ability to guide their appointments for his or her Covid and flu jabs. Britons have been requested to not come ahead till additional data is introduced. 

Well being chiefs predict a triple hit of Covid, flu and different respiratory viruses this winter.  

They’ve warned that the UK will see a flu season a minimum of as dangerous as pre-pandemic ranges as a result of lockdowns have weakened the general public’s immunity towards it. 

They hope the twin rollout will work as an ‘insurance coverage coverage’ towards each viruses, particularly as there’s anticipated to be extra mixing indoors this winter in comparison with final yr when the Omicron surge led to individuals cancelling get togethers.

Fears of a mixed flu and Covid surge crippling the NHS led to well being chiefs widening free flu jabs to the 50-to-64 age group in November 2020 and once more in 2021.

Plans to cut back the free flu jabs to pre-pandemic ranges got here regardless of well being companies noting ‘there’s more likely to be a resurgence in influenza exercise in winter 2022 to 2023 to ranges much like or greater than earlier than the pandemic’.

On the time, one supply engaged on the rollout mentioned there have been considerations the selections seemed to be financially pushed. 

He mentioned: ‘On condition that the following pandemic may be brought on by the influenza virus it appears extraordinarily reckless to chop the flu vaccine programme.’

Predictions of a nasty flu season in Britain have been fuelled by the actual fact Australia is presently being ravaged by its worst flu outbreak in years.

The Australian flu season, occurring within the southern hemisphere winter, April to October, is taken into account a canary within the coalmine for the UK’s. 

Covid has additionally been predicted to surge concurrently flu, with throughout 50s in addition to susceptible Britons and well being and social care employees to even be provided a booster jab this autumn. 

It comes as surveillance information on Friday estimated that one in 20 individuals within the UK have been contaminated on any given day within the earlier week, with the resurgence prompting individuals to cancel plans, keep house and put on masks once more. 

Hospital numbers are additionally persevering with to extend, pushed by the unfold of extremely infectious Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5. 

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