Unused rate considered to be “normal and expected”
More than 123,000 vaccines against Covid-19 were wasted during the last vaccination campaign, representing an unused rate of 5.8%, according to a report released today by the Directorate-General for Health (DGS).
“During the period under review, 123,391 doses of unused Covid-19 vaccines were recorded, 8,592 in the context of the National Health Service (SNS) and 114,799 in the context of community pharmacies, with a total unused proportion for Covid-19 of 5.83%,” says the document on the 2023-2024 autumn and winter vaccination campaign.
As for the flu vaccine, 2,628 doses were unused (0.11 per cent), of which 362 in NHS units and 2,266 in community pharmacies, says the DGS, which explains that vaccines can be unused for various reasons, such as accidental breakage during handling, problems in the cold chain and expired shelf life.
The report also considers the higher proportion of unused Covid-19 vaccines to be “natural and expected”, since the same vial contains several doses, unlike the flu vaccine, which is available in a single-dose formulation.
“A higher proportion of unused vaccines was also expected in pharmacies due to less experience in managing the vaccination process,” the document also recognises.
According to the data now released, more than 1.9 million vaccines against covid-19 were administered in the last seasonal campaign, of which 1.3 million in pharmacies and around 616,000 in SNS units.
Compared to the 2022-2023 campaign, there was a “generalised reduction in vaccination coverage” against Covid-19, which was lower in all age groups.
In the 60-64 age group, vaccination coverage stood at 40%, compared to 60% in the previous 2022-2023 campaign, while in the 65-69 age group it fell from 71% to 51%.
Among the elderly, aged 80 and over, the difference between the campaigns was smaller, with a reduction from 77% to 66% in vaccination coverage against covid-19.
As for the flu, with almost 2.5 million doses administered, coverage was similar in the last two seasonal campaigns, with more than 70% in the various age groups from 65 upwards and reaching 79% in the elderly over 80.
For the next seasonal campaigns, the report advises that it is “desirable to maintain collaboration” between the SNS and pharmacies, improve communication strategies to combat vaccine hesitancy and ensure “robust logistics” for the rapid and efficient distribution of vaccines.
LUSA
