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Faced with strong demand for seasonal flu vaccine, the Confederation has agreed with manufacturers to supply several hundred thousand additional doses.
According to the Federal Office of Public Health, a total of 1.95 million doses of the flu vaccine have been ordered.
KEYSTONE
Switzerland has a record number of seasonal flu vaccine doses this year. According to the Federal Office of Public Health (OFSP), the demand is significantly higher than in previous years.
At the moment, the flu virus is not circulating in Switzerland. It usually appears in January. However, people who wish to be vaccinated must do so before the flu wave begins.
There are no exact figures for the current demand in Switzerland, the FOPH told the Keystone-ATS agency. However, the Confederation is experiencing strong demand and has therefore agreed with manufacturers to supply several hundred thousand additional doses of the vaccine.
A total of 1.95 million doses of the flu shot was ordered. This figure was 1.18 million last year and 1.13 million in 2018.
Possible local deficiencies
This year, vaccine doses will be scaled back and spread over a longer period. The shortages could therefore occur temporarily locally during the vaccination season, due to the high demand in Switzerland and across Europe. Even before the end of October, in Ticino, for example, a first batch of vaccine doses had already been used.
Most of the additional doses arrived in the vaccination centers between the end of November and the beginning of December, the FOPH said. The latter continues to recommend vaccination to people at increased risk of complications and their families. Secondly, other people can also be vaccinated.
The FOPH also confirms that several simultaneous cases of influenza and Covid-19 have been observed internationally. However, we do not yet know their frequency.
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