China to make up to 50 million flu vaccine doses available amid Covid-19 pandemic, official says
- People are worried about double threat of coronavirus and influenza in coming months, says deputy director of agency in charge of vaccines
- But production constraints may mean drug makers cannot meet demand
China is expecting strong demand for flu shots in the coming months and will make up to 50 million doses available, an official with the agency in charge of vaccines said.
“[We have] so far released over 30 million doses of flu shots this year and the final number may reach 50 million when the influenza season begins next month,” Zhang told an industry forum on Sunday, according to Shanghai-based news site ThePaper.
But he said while the agency had stepped up inspection checks – required for all vaccines before they can enter the market – other factors such as constraints on production could affect the supply of flu shots.
In China, about 30 million flu shots are usually given each year, covering 2 per cent of the population, according to official data. The vaccines are distributed by the government to medical organisations.
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Zeng Guang, chief epidemiologist at the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, has previously warned that China – which has brought its coronavirus outbreak under control – still faces the double threat of Covid-19 and influenza this autumn and winter, and he advised people to get flu shots.
“There is a high probability that the two respiratory illnesses will surge at the same time,” Zeng told a conference in July, according to mainland media reports.
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A spokesman for Chinese drug maker Sinovac Biotech – which has also developed an experimental coronavirus vaccine – said producers relied on chicken eggs to make influenza vaccines, and they were usually prepared months in advance, meaning their ability to boost production could be limited.
“This year, because people are concerned about influenza and the Covid-19 pandemic, [vaccine] producers and the government are both trying to increase supply,” spokesman Liu Peicheng said, but he declined to say how many flu shots Sinovac would produce this year.
Liu added that 50 million flu shots may not be enough to meet demand in China. He noted that they were generally not provided for free, but some cities had free vaccine programmes for at-risk groups such as the elderly.
