PEOPLE who have been unable to secure themselves a flu vaccination are encouraged to try again, now that orders are arriving at medical clinics and vaccination providers.
Gawler Medical Clinic practice manager Helen Swan said there has been some confusion in regards to flu vaccination availability due to a discrepancy between when they were promoted by the government and when the vaccines were actually delivered to clinics.
Government-funded flu vaccinations – most commonly for pregnant women, the medically at risk, or the over 65s – are delivered to clinics or pharmacies on a fortnightly cycle, with some receiving stock at the start and some, such as Gawler Medical Clinic, not receiving their allocation until 14 days later.
“I had staff so upset because patients were hearing the government tell everyone to go get their flu shots, and patients were ringing up wanting to book in and we didn’t have our supply yet,” Ms Swan said.
“They were saying things like ‘you’ve got them but you’re just not booking people in, you’re sitting on them and picking who you are giving them to’; it was really abusive.”
Gawler Medical Clinic has since received its third order of Government-funded vaccines – 600 on Friday – with more still to come.
Ms Swan said the clinic also has private flu-vaccinations available (for those who are not eligible under the National Immunisation Program (NIP), so it is worth patients checking back with their usual clinics to see if new deliveries have arrived.
SA Health has also affirmed there is enough doses of flu vaccine available through the NIP program.
“Immunisation providers across the state are ordering and receiving influenza vaccine for these programs regularly,” Department for Health and Wellbeing Communicable Disease and Control branch director, Dr Louise Flood, said.
“However, the high workload of health care providers at present means that some people may have to wait a little longer than usual or call other immunisation providers in their area to book in for their free flu vaccine.”
On Sunday, the Federal Government announced an additional three million doses of vaccine will be made available for individuals not eligible for State or Commonwealth-funded vaccines to purchase privately.
