Vaccine Update - Public Health England, Fluenz Tetra availability 2018/2019
If you are a provider of flu vaccination for children through general practice or the schools programme in England, please take some time to read the information contained in this email.
Availability of vaccines
- Fluenz TetraÒ(LAIV) AstraZeneca UK Ltd, ImmForm Order Opening - Thursday 20th September
- Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine (split virion, inactivated Sanofi Pasteur, ImmForm Order Opening - Available to order now
These vaccines are made available to order by providers of the children’s flu programme in England via the ImmForm website. Please refer to guidance from your respective health departments for arrangements in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine (split virion, inactivated)
This year, PHE is supplying an inactivated vaccine that is suitable for all children from six months to less than 18 years old. It should be used for eligible children who are contraindicated for Fluenz TetraÒ (or it is otherwise unsuitable) AND are in a clinical risk group. This vaccine is Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine (split virion, inactivated), and has an initial order cap of 10 doses per week.
Fluenz TetraÒ (LAIV) Information for General Practice
ImmForm order controls that have been in place for general practice for the past 2 years to reduce the amount of Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine (LAIV), or Fluenz Tetra®, ordered across England but not administered to children, will be in place again this year. The controls are tailored to each practice, and work by allocating an amount of vaccine based on the number of registered eligible patients. The planned timings and changes to the allocations are set out below in order to assist with local planning. Please note that these controls are subject to change as necessary (i.e. to increase allocations earlier than planned), to respond to the needs of the programme.
The following controls will be applied to those accounts ordering for general practice:
- in the first 4 weeks all customers (until the week ending 19 October) will be able to order up to 40% of the eligible cohort (all 2 and 3 year olds, plus at risk from 4 - <18 years). Requests for extra vaccine will be considered on a case by case basis
- in the next 4 weeks (until week ending 16 November), all practices will be able to order up to last year’s INDIVIDUAL uptake (or remain at 40% if individual uptake was lower). Requests for extra vaccine will be considered on a case by case basis
- after these first 8 weeks all practices will be able to order a set number of packs per week (one order per week) depending on stock levels. Requests for additional vaccine will continue to be considered on a case by case basis
Changes to this schedule may be made in-season to respond to the programme needs. Any changes will be communicated via the news item on the ImmForm front page. Requests for any additional vaccines should be sent to the ImmForm helpdesk ( helpdesk@immform.org.uk or telephone 0844 376 0040) and should be sent in good time before your order cut-off. Out of schedule deliveries will be by exception only.
Multi Branch Practices and LAIV allocations
GP practices or groups that operate over multiple sites but are part of the same organisation will have a joint allocation (as in previous years), even where each site has a unique ImmForm account. This means that it is possible for one site to order all of the available vaccine for the group unless there is local agreement in place on how the available amount should be shared. PHE recommend that this agreement is in place before ordering opens to reduce the risk of supply interruption. Practices should be able to work out how much vaccine they will be allocated during the first 8 weeks, and how it should be split between all sites, using the information above. If additional vaccine is required then this should be requested in the normal way via the ImmForm helpdesk ( helpdesk@immform.org.uk / 0844 376 0040).
Information for Schools Providers
A default cap of 300 packs (3000 doses) of Fluenz Tetra® per week, per account will be in place for school providers (as in previous years). If school providers needs to order more than 300 packs (3000 doses) in a week, they will need to contact the ImmForm helpdesk ( helpdesk@immform.org.uk ??????? / 0844 376 0040) to arrange a large order before their order cut-off.
These requests will be dealt with on a case by case basis and will be by exception. If a provider covering a large area feels that they need a higher weekly cap than 300 packs (3000 doses) to deliver the programme, they should discuss their vaccine requirements with their Commissioner in the first instance and then with their support, request an increase via the ImmForm helpdesk (helpdesk@immform.org.uk / 0844 376 0040). Orders will be monitored regularly and Commissioners will be alerted to any requests for additional vaccine or unusual ordering activity.
Kind regards,
Vaccine supply team.
