Professor Usonis explained why there is still a shortage of flu vaccines in Lithuania

This year, when doctors strongly recommended flu vaccination to avoid complications from COVID-19, the vaccine shortage was extremely painful, according to a media report.

Guess-based order

According to Vytautas Usonis, a licensed physician at Vilnius University Medical Faculty, the situation is unlikely to change until we start looking at vaccines and vaccines differently and change vaccination policy.

“In our case, everything usually happens by speculation: the responsible authorities relieve other institutions, how much vaccine has been used this year, they add up to one more percentage and the request is being fulfilled. But then we have what we have now: the need for vaccines has increased and we are sitting without vaccines.

This is especially true with regard to influenza vaccines, since they are vaccines of special production for each season, which are produced as ordered by the state and it is not possible to produce them additionally once the vaccination campaign has started ” says the professor.

We experienced a particularly severe vaccine shortage this year as much larger numbers of people wanted to be vaccinated due to the threat of COVID-19, so the estimated need for flu vaccines based on the latest flu season did not match the real need.

Based on medical recommendations, vaccination against influenza and other viruses that can cause lung disease is recommended to protect against the severe form of COVID-19. However, if there is no shortage of other vaccines, the situation with flu vaccines is much more complicated. Why?

Only the required amount of vaccine is produced

The main reason is that most microorganisms do not change every year and the flu virus is different every year. In general, scientists monitoring changes in influenza determine the type of virus that is likely to be present during the next influenza season, based on the current type of influenza season. It is these strains of the virus that are used to make vaccines. Every year different. At the end of February, in March, all countries place requests to vaccine manufacturers about how many plans they have to buy vaccines. Production volumes planned based on these applications.

“It just came to our knowledge then. But that amount is small, because next year this vaccine will no longer be adequate and the elimination of the drugs will be very expensive. It should be understood that vaccination against influenza is not a product in which you can turn on the machine and produce more quickly. For example, they are made with special eggs from chickens raised on special farms. You will no longer order the hens to help them quickly. And this is just a small detail of the production process, “says V. Usonis.

According to the professor, Lithuania still manages to maneuver due to its size: globally our needs are very small, so we often manage to buy additional quantities of vaccines from stocks, sometimes we take advantage of the fact that large countries they do not use the quantities ordered.

“It just came to our knowledge then. If in Europe around half and more of the population is vaccinated in a frequent country, and influenza vaccination of people at risk reaches more than 70%, in Lithuania less than 10%. A group of people, perhaps only those vaccinated free for those over 65, pregnant women, and people with chronic diseases are more protected. But in such a situation, even a small percentage increase in the need for vaccines is very notable and there is a shortage of vaccines ”, says V. Usonis.

Vaccination policies need to be changed

According to the professor, the vaccination policy itself should be changed. “First of all, we must communicate more about the benefits of vaccines. In Lithuania, especially about influenza vaccines, many myths and lies have been created. However, there is no public policy to give an adequate answer and explain the benefits of these vaccines. So people do not get vaccinated and when they hear that vaccines against someone’s protection, they attack to get vaccinated, although the orders were made more than half a year ago and there is no way to adjust them. If you develop the habit of vaccination, there would be significantly fewer “occasional” people who would need vaccinations, “the researcher considers.

Vaccination procedures could also be better organized without leaving you alone. Currently, people who belong to risk groups in Lithuania are vaccinated for free, but only those who express this desire. “It means that a person has to think about himself, find out and come to get vaccinated. For example, in the UK, Germany and other countries, those who own a free vaccine receive a message when it is time to get vaccinated that they are welcome at the treatment center at a specific time and will be vaccinated. In this way, primary health care institutions have much clearer numbers, established and planned vaccination procedures, and the health care system is also less overburdened, as the number of serious diseases is significantly reduced, ”says V Usonis.

Therefore, in the professor’s opinion, to avoid an “unexpected flu” in the future, we should start thinking now not only about the future order for vaccines, but also about the education and vaccination system, which would allow for much vaccination needs. more accurate and increase vaccination coverage.