INFLUENZA VACCINATIONS in all private pharmacies have run out due to an increase in demand, it has emerged.
Nicos Nouris, President of the Cyprus Pharmaceutical Association, yesterday told the Cyprus Mail that the extra demand is down to two factors.
“Firstly, we are in the so-called ’flu season, when a lot of people come down with the virus and secondly, with all the stuff about bird ’flu in the news over the last few weeks, people have been getting worried.”
“In addition GlaxoSmithKline, who manufacture the vaccine we use here, have been late in delivering the vaccine to Cyprus as they have recently been working on some improvements.”
It must be clarified that these vaccinations are not for the strain of avian influenza passed on from birds to humans that has seen the death of around 60 people in the last two years. So far there is no record of human-to-human transmission if this virus.
Nouris went on to say that an order of 9,000 vaccines will be arriving next week, but all of these have already been pre-sold.
“Apart from the vaccine there is a very good tablet which people can take called Tamiflu, which is the number one doctor-prescribed antiviral for the treatment of ’flu. The World Health organisation and the European Union advise countries to buy enough Tamiflu to cover 20 per cent of the population.
“But this is not happening here in Cyprus. The government has ordered 500 boxes, worth £5,000 but we need between 12,000 and 14,000 tablets to cover 20 per cent of the population here. What we’ve ordered is not enough.
“The groups most at risk are children, the elderly, diabetics and people with cardio-vascular problems.”
On Thursday, Health Minister Andreas Gavrielides said authorities were working to release funds quickly to buy anti-viral drugs. The quantity would be equivalent to the needs of four to five per cent of Cyprus’ population, which is just under a million.
“We have reviewed our plans and confirmed we are prepared for any eventuality,” Gavrielides said.
Yesterday, he explained that, “the Tamiflu that we decided to import are for immediate needs and I have proposed to the cabinet that more should be imported.
“Regarding vaccines, we currently have 60,000 compared to 45,000 last year in the public health sector. In the private sector, we have 27,000 vaccines and have ordered another 13,000 which we are expecting on Wednesday.
“These vaccines don’t protect people against bird ‘flu though, with no vaccination for bird ’flu is currently available.”
