Deliveries of flu vaccines in the country have been delayed by about a month, while their distribution among general practitioners remains uneven. Some doctors have received more than the quantities they ordered, others – less, while some are still waiting for their vaccines.
This was announced by Dr. Petko Zhelyazkov, chairman of the Regional Union of General Practitioners in Burgas. „This year, the delivery of vaccines was delayed by about a month, perhaps. And I would say that the distribution across the country is inadequate,“ he said.
Different quantities for general practitioners
According to Dr. Zhelyazkov, two companies supply flu vaccines in Bulgaria. With the first delivery, his practice received fewer doses than it had ordered. They have already been allocated to people over 65 and to children.
The second company began distribution in Burgas region on November 9, but the quantities in this delivery were also not distributed evenly. According to the doctor, some of his colleagues received significantly fewer vaccines, while others received twice as many as they had ordered.
At his own practice, Dr. Zhelyazkov expects the available doses to be sufficient, as they are almost the same in number as last year. He pointed out, however, that the situation is different for other general practitioners.
Greater interest among older people
Interest in flu vaccines is greater among people over 65. Parents are still not showing enough interest in the free immunization program for children.
According to Dr. Zhelyazkov, the delay does not yet threaten the effectiveness of the campaign. The condition is that all ordered quantities be delivered by the end of the week. After the vaccine is administered, it takes between two and three weeks for immune protection to develop.
On November 9, Health Minister Katya Ivkova announced that the flu vaccines would be delivered by the end of the week. She did not specify when they would reach individual pharmacies and said there was no data indicating problems with immunizations administered by general practitioners.