Before influenza season

Vaccine for risk groups can no longer be ordered

(Bild: APA/Tobias Hase)

The Medical Association is sounding the alarm: flu vaccines for risk groups can no longer be ordered via the vaccination store of Bundesbeschaffungs GmbH (BBG). The quota has already been exhausted just ten days after the start of ordering. "This is unacceptable," said Johannes Steinhart, President of the Medical Association.

"After the shortcomings of the influenza vaccination campaign last season, we expected those responsible to have learned from their mistakes," says Steinhart, disappointed. The fact that doctors can no longer order vaccines for at-risk groups leaves "massive doubts as to whether the actual vaccination campaign will be successful even before it starts."

The President of the Medical Association calls on the Ministry of Health to get the "disaster" under control. "In the last vaccination season, 180 surgeries in Vienna were without a vaccine in some cases, and this must not be allowed to happen again," said Steinhart.

Johannes Steinhart

(Bild: APA/Georg Hochmuth)

Steinhart fears lower vaccination rate
According to the Chamber, many doctors also reported that ordering from the BBG store did not work technically. Many patients from risk groups would already want to make an appointment for a vaccination in the fall. "But they can't because there is no vaccine. If this problem is not resolved quickly, those who want to be vaccinated will turn away," fears Steinhart. His organization has pointed out several times where the problems were last season. Now a high vaccination rate is already a distant prospect.

Combination of influenza, coronavirus and RSV is tricky
This is particularly important in this year's flu season, as influenza, corona and RSV could come together and lead to major problems, says Naghme Kamaleyan-Schmied, Vice President and Chairwoman of the Curia of General Practitioners at the Vienna Medical Association. 

The head of the Chamber's vaccination department is calling on politicians to act quickly. "There is a huge discrepancy between the big media announcement of a free vaccination campaign and the vaccine doses ordered," criticizes Rudolf Schmitzberger. It is hard to see why patients should be forced to buy the vaccine privately at their own expense in view of a widely advertised free campaign