Flu Vaccine Concerns: What’s Behind the Bottleneck?

Gerhard and Brigitte Klee of Echzell are both 78 years old and, due to this age, they are also considered at risk for the “normal” flu virus. Both have been vaccinated in the fall for years. So far this year they have only had limited success. The reason: for weeks, even the flu vaccine is in short supply in the Wetterau, all requests in the pharmacies of Echzell, Nidda, Hungen, Reichelsheim and Florstadt were unsuccessful.

The Echzell couple aren’t the only ones with these experiences. Hertha Müller from Bad Nauheim did similar things. In his early 60s he is vital and lively, but he takes care of his mother Katharina, 90. Hertha Müller has also been providing vaccinations for both of them in good time for years, and this year she too has reached her limits with this project.

Influenza vaccination in the Wetterau: difference, cash or private

Both cases still have something special: Brigitte Klee and Katharina Müller are insured, Gerhard Klee and Hertha Müller are private patients. What was otherwise of little concern when it came to the flu shot turned out to be a stark difference this year. Katharina Müller benefited from being registered with her family doctor very early; she was vaccinated in early October. Her daughter, however, is waiting until today to be able to redeem her private prescription for a dose of the vaccine. Likewise, Gerhard Müller, who then checked all the pharmacies in the area by telephone only on Tuesday, without success. The insured wife, however, received the vaccination in her family doctor’s office that same day.

The phenomenon that funded patients receive vaccine doses from contingents that family doctors pre-order, but private patients must first obtain the vaccine on prescription, has only brought limited benefits to funded patients. GPs who have run out of reserved contingents are currently waiting in vain for replenishment, as are the district pharmacies.

Influenza vaccine: ordered a year earlier

The problem with the quotas: “We have to order a year earlier, that is, when we ordered the vaccine for this season last year, there was still no talk of Corona,” explains Claudia Tanta, employee of the Bad Nauheim Medical Center at the Park. Fortunately, they had nevertheless decided to increase the quota of 600 vaccine doses for 2020 by 17 percent, until then usual. “The 600 doses of the vaccine were always enough for six months, but our patients are aging and the demand for vaccinations has always increased,” says Tanta, explaining the decision. Now, against the backdrop of the corona pandemic, the 700 doses of the vaccine have lasted for two weeks and since mid-October there has been an urgent need for replenishment at the park’s medical center.

Doctor Wetterauer: harsh criticism of the transfer of production to Asia

Medical officer Dr. Reinhold Merbs knows the problem and has a clear vision of its causes: globalization with outsourcing of production to (Asian) countries and a completely wrong health policy on this point. There are currently large bottlenecks for the flu shot, but also for other medications such as some hypertension or epilepsy medications. “This upsets us every day: we invented aspirin in Germany, but now we can’t find one on the world market. We rely on developing countries for flu vaccines and other drugs, ignoring the poor manufacturing standards in those countries. It is a pity for our country! “The head of the Wetterau health department thrilled. Merbs blames the policy for the shortage: »The supply of drugs is part of the basic supply that the state must guarantee. We should never have given up on drug production in the country itself, ”says Merbs. He believes it is essential to find a solution for drug production, at least in a European context.

Meanwhile, Gerhard Klee of Echzell inevitably continues to be patient. It is unknown if he can still expect a dose of vaccination this year, was the decision on Tuesday. Keep hoping.