Influenza: Vaccination

(asked on 24th June 2019) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the (a) number of doses of flu vaccine required in winter 2019-20 and (b) proportion of those doses which will need to be sourced from outside the UK; and what plans he has in place to ensure the adequate supply of flu vaccine in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal on 31 October 2019.


Answered by
Seema Kennedy Portrait
Seema Kennedy
This question was answered on 27th June 2019

Flu vaccines for people aged 18 years and older are procured directly from manufacturers and suppliers by providers, based on their local assessment of need. The procurement and distribution of flu vaccines for the children’s aspect of the national flu programme is managed by Public Health England (PHE). Doses of flu vaccine for 2019/20 is estimated using end of season for 2018/19 that are published on GOV.UK at the following links:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/seasonal-flu-vaccine-uptake-in-gp-patients-monthly-data-2018-to-2019

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/seasonal-flu-vaccine-uptake-in-healthcare-workers-monthly-data-2018-to-2019

Seasonal flu vaccines for 2019/20 are currently being manufactured and due for delivery to the market in the autumn. Vaccine production is a complex and multi-stage process, which will involve a touch-point outside of the United Kingdom.

Officials continuously monitor the flu vaccine supply landscape to enable timely and appropriate action to be taken in the event of supply issues.

The Department, PHE and NHS England are in regular discussion with the manufacturers to ensure they have appropriate contingency plans in place to prepare for a potential ‘no deal’ scenario.

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