Vaccine shortage cancels Tyrol public flu vaccination drives

The Austrian Society of the Golden Cross has cancelled planned influenza vaccination drives in public places across Tyrol, ORF reported. The organisation said vaccines for people aged 18 to 65 are currently unavailable in Austria. A school vaccination project in the districts of Schwaz, Kufstein and Kitzbühel will go ahead.

The society is organising the project with the Tyrol provincial government at almost 100 schools. Vaccinations will be administered using the HEALTH MOBIL, a mobile health centre. Public vaccination days for the wider population had also been planned.

The organisation said public authorities had informed it several days ago that the vaccine for the 18 to 65 age group was not available. A delivery is not expected before mid-October at the earliest.

“Since the specific vaccines are not available to any institution, doctor or female doctor in Austria, we are unfortunately forced to cancel the public vaccination appointments in close coordination with the Tyrol Public Health Department,” said Erika Sander, secretary general of the Austrian Society of the Golden Cross.

The school project will continue, the society said. Most children and teenagers will receive the nasal vaccine, which is available. Small quantities of an injectable vaccine from another European country have been obtained for students who cannot or do not want to use the nasal version. The society will cover the cost.

The HEALTH MOBIL is expected to visit almost 100 schools from the end of September. Project organisers said children and teenagers are important transmitters of influenza.

The project is supported by the Tyrol provincial government, the Tyrol Public Health Department, the Austrian Society for Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, the Austrian Society for Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, and the Tyrol Chamber of Pharmacists. Pharmaceutical companies AstraZeneca, benefit, Herba, Kottas, Ökopharm and Viatris are also supporting the initiative.