GPs are being asked to “play God” in having to decide who to give the flu vaccine to because of shortages in the availability of the medicine due to an increase in demand , a GP has said. “I get that there is a shortage of the vaccine but we’re just playing catch up and now we’re being asked to play God in terms of who should get a vaccine and who should not,” said the GP. “By October 28th, the national cold chain service will have delivered 950,000 QIV influenza vaccines to sites around the country, an increase in the same time last year,” said the HSE. “The fourth delivery cycle of influenza vaccines will be delivered from October 29th over a two week period and will be completed by November 11th. The HSE said it had purchased almost 2 million doses of influenza vaccine this year, which is nearly double the amount administered last season and these includes 1.4 million doses of Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine (QIV) for adults.

Source: The Irish Times October 25, 2020 20:25 UTC