Flu vaccine backlog set to clear, company says

The backlog of the flu vaccine Vaxigrip will begin to clear later today, drug firm Merck Sharp & Dohme NZ says.

The vaccine will leave its distribution centre by late afternoon, though some surgeries may not get it until next week because they have yet to reconfirm their order.

More than 630 reconfirmed orders or 70,000 doses of Vaxigrip influenza vaccine have been despatched to surgeries so far.

"We are shipping orders on a first come, first served basis as fast as we can but this is a huge logistical task," the company's marketing director Mark Vanderwee said.

"For example, the vaccine must be kept at a constant temperature so it is not possible to do weekend deliveries.

"We undertook to have the first reconfirmed orders delivered to GPs by April 18 and we achieved that.

"It was not possible to deliver to all GPs at that time as we did not have reconfirmed orders for many doctors."

Orders had to be reconfirmed before shipping because the vaccination programme had changed and vaccinators could no longer use just the one vaccine for all patients, the company said.

Vaxigrip is approved as a single dose of vaccine for administration to individuals aged under 65 years who are at low-risk from either influenza infection, or the complications of influenza infection. These patients will not be reimbursed for their vaccination.

For further information call 0800 FLU INFO, 0800 358 4636 or visit the influenza website.

- HERALD ONLINE STAFF