Many more line up for flu jab

The number of people having state-paid anti-flu jabs has risen steeply after the debacle over this year's vaccine supply.

Last year, about 450,000 people took up the offer of free flu vaccination.

This year, the number is likely to be far higher when the programme finishes at the end of next month, says Pharmac chief executive Wayne McNee.

"[Demand] is still growing. There's still more going out."

The Health Ministry says that to the end of last month, 436,000 doses of vaccine had been sent to GPs for free flu jabs, over 100,000 more than at the same point last year.

About 714,500 people are entitled to the free vaccination, which is for those over 64 and others who have chronic health conditions such as asthma or heart disease.

"In the US when they had supply problems last year, there was a 15 per cent increase in flu vaccine uptake," Mr McNee said.

"It's reasonable to expect more people have got vaccinated this year because their awareness of the flu vaccine and the benefits of it."

In February, health authorities learned that the then-sole supplier of New Zealand's flu vaccine for this year, sanofi pasteur, had made a manufacturing mistake in France.

The brew was weaker than planned against one of the three strains of flu it is designed to protect against.

Pharmac and the Health Ministry made a desperate hunt for full-strength vaccine, and sanofi rivals eventually supplied more than 500,000 doses.

Last month, sanofi trial results showed its Vaxigrip vaccine was as effective as full-strength vaccine and the ministry removed restrictions it had placed on its use, but Pharmac, with enough doses for the expected number of free jabs required, did not restore Vaxigrip's funding.