#14,106
Last February the World Health Organization delayed their decision on which H3N2 vaccine component to add to next fall's seasonal flu shot by 30 days due to late season reports of the rapid rise and spread of an H3N2 clade 3C.3a virus in the United States and other parts of the globe.
When they announced their selection in late March, the WHO warned that the delay could cause a delay in shipping vaccines in the fall.The CDC, shortly thereafter, wrote in their Frequently Asked Flu Questions: 2019-2020 Influenza Season:
All of which makes reports coming out of Taiwan overnight - warning of delays, and possible shortages of flu vaccines this fall - not completely unexpected.Will the delay in selecting the H3N2 component delay availability of flu vaccines for the upcoming 2019-2020 northern hemisphere flu season?
It is too soon to say how the delay in the selection of the H3N2 candidate vaccine component may affect the timing of vaccine availability for the 2019-2020 flu season. Private manufacturers in the United States produce flu vaccines each season. Once the viruses are selected for the new vaccine formulation, manufacturers operate under a tight timeline for producing, testing, releasing and distributing flu vaccine. CDC and other federal partners will continue to coordinate and collaborate with U.S. flu vaccine manufacturers to monitor production and vaccine availability timelines
I've translated at least a half dozen versions of the story, but I was lucky enough to find the following English Language version posted by Taiwan's Public TV organization.
CDC: Flu Vaccine Administration Delayed to Late November
2019年6月3日
In past years, the administration of flu vaccines covered under the universal health insurance tends to start on October 1. It was delayed to October 15 last year, and it could delayed even further this year, to middle or later November.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said that, the WHO has delayed their announcement of their strain selection, which means the supply for flu vaccines will be delayed around the world, and that the first batch of vaccines to Taiwan will be limited in quantity.
(Continue . . . )The CDC said it will consider selecting a certain demographic to receive the shots first. Some doctors are concerned that, the delay could affect potential flu epidemic control.
(SNIP)
If the flu administration starts at the end of November, then half of the people who need the vaccine could still be waiting by the end of January or the beginning of February. If this happens, it will make containing a potential epidemic difficult.
The CDC stresses that it has completed the bidding process for the 6 million quadrivariant vaccines, and it anticipates that the first batch of vaccines will be limited in quantity. The CDC said if the administration of vaccines start in mid-November, it will consider giving the vaccines to a certain demographic first, and the administration will open to all citizens at the end of November when the vaccine supply is adequate.
Of note, both Taiwan and Hong Kong have reported a recent spike in summer flu cases, although neither are reporting serious levels of flu yet.
Both regions are known for seeing a biphasic or `double peaked’ flu season, with their heaviest activity usually occurs between February and April with a less severe season in mid to late summer (see Seasonality of Influenza A(H3N2) Virus: A Hong Kong Perspective (1997–2006).This is the first official confirmation I've seen regarding delays in vaccine delivery this fall, and while other regions may experience similar delays, it doesn't necessarily mean everyone will.
Hopefully we'll get a better sense of the production schedule of this fall's flu vaccines in the coming weeks.
