Thousands of patients will have to wait to get their flu jabs after one of the NHS’ main suppliers has warned vaccines could be delayed by two weeks. The delay means people ages 16 to 65,and pregnant women will have to wait for the jab which protects them during the winter. The delay will now cause problems for hospitals but not as much as it will affect the GPs.
The hold up is caused by manufacturing and packaging problems. They expect vaccines to be delivered in the week of October 21st.
The flu jab is important as the flu can kill around 8,000 people a year in England, 6,000 of these have serious problems with their heart or lungs. Delivery of the third and final supplies, due at hospitals from 4 November and GP practices from 18 November, “remains unchanged at this current time”, the letter adds.
There was a hold up in July because in the World Health Organisation taking longer to decide how much strains of flu in this year’s winter jab should cover.
The flu jab is given to:
- adults 65 and over
- people with certain medical conditions (including children in at-risk groups from 6 months of age)
- pregnant women
- children aged 2 and 3 on 31 August 2019
- children in primary school
- frontline health or social care workers
-Credit: NHS
