Scots wanting to protect themselves from flu are facing delays amid a shortage in vaccines.
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Scots → want → vaccines
Those looking to pay for the annual jab at pharmacies across the country have been warned of delays amid problems with producing this year’s injection.
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Those → look → injection
Manufacturing failings combined with emergence of three different strains of the virus and the late identification of one of them have been blamed for the hiccup.
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failings → combine → hiccup
But experts have insisted the NHS vaccination programme has not been affected.
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programme → insist → ?
However, thousands of Scots ineligible for the taxpayer-funded inoculation, and willing to spend anywhere from £20 for the shot, are likely to be affected.
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thousands → fund → shot
Sarah Staddon, of Community Pharmacy Scotland, said: ‘We are aware that some community pharmacies are experiencing reduced availability of certain private flu vaccines this season, and that some supplies may not arrive until mid-autumn.
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supplies → say → autumn
‘It is important to stress that this relates to parts of the private vaccination market and should not be confused with NHS vaccination arrangements.
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this → stress → arrangements
‘While this is frustrating for both pharmacy teams and patients seeking a private flu vaccination, there is no need for people to assume they won’t be able to get vaccinated.
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they → seek → vaccination
‘Availability varies between vaccine suppliers, products and locations.’
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Availability → vary → suppliers
Pre-season rates of influenza remain at a baseline, Public Health Scotland (PHS) said, but are going up.
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Scotland → remain → baseline
The Mail reported earlier that medics have warned of a ‘worrying’ early rise in flu cases hitting already struggling hospital emergency departments.
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medics → report → departments
Data showed cases recorded up until September 20 soared to almost three times the level seen at the same point last year.
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cases → show → point
Doctors had reported 569 instances of flu to that date since August, while hospitals had 263 flu-related admissions.
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hospitals → report → admissions
Scots who want to protect themselves from flu are facing delays amid a shortage in vaccines
Scientists at PHS rates of the virus, and found that last week the number of laboratory confirmed cases of influenza were 1.7 times higher than the same seven-day period last year.
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number → want → period
Flu viruses can change from one winter to the next, so vaccinations must be updated each year to provide protection against the strains which are most likely to be circulating.
They then need to be manufactured in large quantities in time for the flu season, with cases usually peaking in December or January.
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cases → change → December
The vaccine helps protect against three different flu viruses, but unusually all three have to be updated.
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three → help → viruses
Ms Staddon said: ‘These factors have had knock-on effects across parts of the private vaccine supply chain.
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factors → say → chain
‘Anyone interested in a private flu vaccination should contact their local community pharmacy directly, as pharmacy teams can advise on current availability, expected delivery times and future appointments as stock becomes available.’
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stock → contact → availability
Sanofi said it ‘regrets to inform that we are facing supply challenges with influenza vaccines for the 2026/2027 flu season in the UK private market’.
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we → say → market
But the manufacturer insisted that despite the delays it did not expect shortages.
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it → insist → shortages
A company spokesman said: ‘We fully recognise the impact this will have on healthcare providers and the patients they serve, and we sincerely apologise for the disruption this supply challenge causes.
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challenge → say → disruption
‘This season has been particularly challenging for the influenza vaccine manufacturing industry.
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season → challenge → industry
‘Two significant external factors have affected influenza vaccine manufacture: three strain changes compared with last year’s vaccine composition, and the late identification of the B strain candidate, which delayed the shipment of the reference strain to manufacturers globally.
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which → affect → manufacturers
‘As a result of this, we are experiencing supply delays to the private market for the 2026/2027 flu season in the UK (including Northern Ireland).
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we → experience → Ireland
‘However, we do not anticipate shortages in the private market, and we are working closely with our distribution partners to minimise disruption.’
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we → anticipate → disruption
Public Health Minister Maree Todd said: ‘We are aware of reports regarding limited or late availability of some private flu vaccine supplies this winter, due to issues with the manufacturing process.
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We → say → process
‘However it is important to stress that there is no impact on Scotland’s free national NHS flu vaccination programme.
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it → stress → programme
‘I encourage people eligible for a free NHS flu vaccination to continue to attend their appointment when invited.’
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I → encourage → appointment
The Aporia
