AZ’s paediatric flu vaccine in short supply

Routine testing on some of AstraZeneca’s Fluenz Tetra production batches will have to be repeated, and that has caused a delay in supplies. Stocks of the flu vaccine will be set aside for children with underlying medical conditions like asthma, heart conditions and cystic fibrosis until deliveries of the delayed batches are received. Scotland and Wales are expected to follow suit.
Dr Frank Atherton, Wales’ CMO, said there is “sufficient stock currently available to ensure primary care can commence the vaccination of children aged two and three and those in clinical risk groups under the age of 18”.
Dr Gregor Smith, Scotland’s deputy CMO, said: “The school vaccination programme is currently continuing as normal. However, should there be the expected disruption to supply, it could lead to vaccinations in some primary schools being rescheduled.”
AZ said in a statement: “Due to the delay in strain recommendation and subsequent manufacture of new strains for the 2019-20 season, deliveries of the vaccine will be spread across the season, as opposed to being concentrated in the initial months of the season” and stressed that it is “manufacturing and delivering the full quantity of vaccine required for the UK childhood influenza vaccination programme.”