Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1335. To ask the Minister for Health the steps he is taking to address the current waiting lists at general practitioners and pharmacies for persons receiving the flu vaccines; the status of the fourth and final batch of the flu vaccine to be delivered no later than the end of October 2020; if further flu vaccines will be ordered to ensure all those eligible for the flu vaccine are covered; the financial supports being made available to pharmacists and general practitioners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33187/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Government has expanded the provision of seasonal influenza vaccination without charge to all of those in the HSE-defined at-risk groups, including healthcare workers, and to all children aged from 2 to 12 years. Vaccines are being administered via GPs and pharmacists, as in previous years.

This expanded programme will ensure that those most vulnerable to the effects of influenza will have access without charges. This is in line with the advice of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee and represents a significant step forward in providing vaccination without charges.

This season, 1.95 million doses of influenza vaccine have been purchased, which is approximately double the amount administered last season. The HSE has procured 1.35 million doses of the Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine (QIV) for the forthcoming winter. This vaccine is being made available to all persons in an at-risk group and aged from 6 months up. In addition, the HSE has purchased 600,000 doses of the Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine (LAIV), which is delivered via nasal drops rather than by injection and is being made available to all children aged from 2 to 12 years old inclusive.

International markets for influenza vaccine are extremely tight this year, and in Ireland this resulted in deliveries from the manufacturer taking longer than intended. However, the full quantity of vaccine ordered has now been received. 950,000 doses of the injected vaccine have been distributed to GPs, pharmacists, and healthcare settings. This is 10% more than the amount distributed at the same time in 2019 and is equal to almost the full amount administered in the 2019/20 season. The quantities distributed to GPs and pharmacists has been based on the orders from the same sources last year, in order to ensure an equitable distribution. The remaining 400,000 doses will be distributed to GPs and pharmacists in the coming weeks. Given the difficult international market for flu vaccines this year, it is unlikely that any further increase in supply will be possible.

The new nasal (LAIV) influenza vaccine programme for children is well underway across the country. A high uptake of the vaccine in children has been shown to reduce the spread of influenza in the community. Maximising uptake of LAIV in children will also help protect others against influenza in the community. The full quantity of LAIV ordered has also now been received and is being distributed to GPs and pharmacists.

Given the importance of increasing the level of uptake of the flu vaccine this year, GPs and pharmacists are incentivised not only to deliver vaccination to the expanded groups, but to actively seek out relevant patients and deliver vaccinations in a programmatic way, such as through dedicated flu vaccination clinics. In addition to the fee of €15 for administering the vaccine to those in the at-risk group and €20 for the administration of the nasal vaccine to children, GPs and pharmacists will be eligible for an additional payment of €100 for every 10 patients in the at-risk categories vaccinated and €150 for every 10 children to whom the LAIV is administered.