Horror flu season continues: Clinics short on vaccine supplies, politicians receive jab before hospital staff

Politicians and SA Health chiefs have had their flu vaccinations while doctors and nurses wait — and some clinics say they are short as demand in a horror season surges.

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While politicians and SA Health bureaucrats have received their influenza shots in what is looming as the worst season on record, suburban clinics say they are short of supplies and frontline doctors and nurses are yet to be vaccinated.

As of Monday there have been 8787 confirmed cases of the flu in South Australia, far more than the entire total of last year and around seven times the amount at the same time in 2017, which turned out to be the worst year on modern record.

So far more than 250,000 free vaccines have been distributed and 116,000 are being sent out for vulnerable groups as officials deal with a warm weather flu season well ahead of the usual winter peak and three deaths to date including a 15-year-old girl. Chemists have ample supplies for sale.

But demand is beating the distribution process. Former state Australian Medical Association president Dr Peter Ford, pictured, has complained his clinic received just 60 free doses for over-65s when they asked for 300 in one week, although supplies have since increased.

As of Monday there have been 8787 confirmed cases of the flu in South Australia, far more than the entire total of last year.

As The Advertiser revealed, Flinders Medical Centre ran out of supplies for staff last week after 2000 shots and is still waiting for more supplies, while other major hospitals including the Royal Adelaide Hospital and The Queen Elizabeth Hospital are yet to start their programs, based on individual hospitals’ health and safety programs.

Opposition health spokesman Chris Picton said rationing was occurring. “Staff at the RAH and The QEH are yet to even get started with their vaccinations,” he said. “SA Health bureaucrats had their shots last week and state politicians had them almost a month ago.”

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However, SA Health spokeswoman Dr Ann Koehler said there were no shortages and the shots were being rolled out equitably so “people in Coober Pedy get the vaccine as well as people in central Adelaide”.

“We have distributed almost a quarter of a million flu vaccines across the state and still have 116,000 doses in warehouses with more deliveries on the way,” she said.

“There is plenty of the vaccine for people.”

Dr Koehler said officials were ensuring clinics had doses sent based on past demand and storage, but acknowledged some doctors were not getting as many doses as fast as they would like based on the spike in demand. Easter and Anzac Day public holidays had interrupted distribution.