Flu vaccines in Switzerland: 40% arrive late (cross-border guide)

Context

In brief

• 40% of vaccines delayed
• Two out of four products facing issues
• National week confirmed for November
• New vaccination window at the end of November

Key facts

• What: Delay in flu vaccine deliveries
• Percentage: 40% of doses destined for Switzerland
• Products involved: Two out of four
• Main period: First week of November
• Sponsoring body: Pharmasuisse

40% of the flu vaccines destined for Switzerland will not be available for the population within the originally scheduled times. This supply delay situation will also directly affect Ticino, although without endangering the overall availability of the necessary doses in the canton and nationwide during the cold season. Just a few weeks before the official launch of the seasonal prevention campaign, two of the four products used in the country are experiencing supply issues and will not be present in sufficient quantities for the national vaccination week, scheduled for the beginning of November.

Supply issues and impact on the territory

Logistical difficulties affect the distribution channels of two of the four pharmaceutical solutions regularly used in Switzerland for immunization against seasonal flu. This temporary reduction in available quantities at the start of the campaign has made an immediate logistical reorganization necessary by trade associations to avoid prolonged inconvenience for citizens wishing to get vaccinated promptly before winter.

Operational details

Pharmasuisse's response and new time windows

To cope with the logistical critical issues reported by manufacturers, Pharmasuisse has decided to significantly expand the period dedicated to administering the protective doses. The national vaccination week remains confirmed for the first week of November, as per the initial schedule established by health authorities and trade associations in the pharmaceutical and medical sectors.

However, to compensate for delivery delays and ensure everyone has access to the vaccine without queues or sudden shortages, the organizations have established the opening of an additional time window at the end of November. During this supplementary period, people will be able to go and receive the administration both in authorized pharmacies and, of course, at traditional medical practices throughout the Swiss and Ticino territory.

Constant monitoring and institutional collaboration

This extraordinary measure will serve to distribute access to vaccination over a longer period of time for the entire resident population. Some operational disruptions related to the management of reservations and user flows are expected in Ticino as well, but at present, no problems of such a magnitude as to compromise the overall success of the health prevention campaign are emerging. Furthermore, the association intends to closely monitor the evolution of the distribution situation, also in view of future winter seasons, to prevent similar logistical bottlenecks in the pharmaceutical supply chain.

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Key points

How to plan vaccination and monitor the situation

In the coming months and years, category organizations will continue to closely monitor the stock situation and supply flows. The managers will remain in constant contact with both pharmaceutical manufacturers and the Federal Office of Public Health and other associations involved in the health sector, so that they can react promptly to any further variation or criticality in the medicines logistics chain.

For its part, the Federal Office of Public Health has not yet issued any official statements regarding these delays in supplies. Citizens interested in undergoing flu vaccination can check in advance the availability of doses at their trusted pharmacy or their treating doctor, taking into account the new end of November window introduced by Pharmasuisse to facilitate access to prophylaxis.

For those who want to deepen their health management and better plan health and insurance expenses in Switzerland, including LAMal coverage and costs related to complementary medical services, you can consult our dedicated alla cassa malati tools.

Source: rsi.ch