Help is at hand for people who missed out on a flu shot, as health authorities have secured an extra 55,000 doses of influenza vaccine.
Authorities both here and in Australia have been caught out by strong demand this year for flu vaccine. New Zealand some weeks ago had to restrict the allocation of what was left of its stocks to those most at risk.
On Saturday, Health Minister David Clark announced 55,000 more doses of vaccine would arrive in New Zealand next week, and will be available to the public from the week starting July 15.
Having previously said it was unlikely more vaccine could be sourced from Australia due to demand there, the Ministry of Health and Pharmac eventually secured the extra doses from across the Tasman.
"The additional 55,000 vaccines will take the total number of influenza vaccines to a record 1.38 million, the highest number ever made available in New Zealand in a single year," Dr Clark said.
"The flu is a serious disease and vaccination is the best available protection from it, so it is great news that Pharmac and the Ministry of Health have managed to secure these extra vaccines."
The brand of vaccine, FluQuadri, has been used in New Zealand before, but this year had not completed the approval process before the flu season began.
The process had now been completed and the vaccine approved, Dr Clark said.
This year's flu season has so far seen a low rate of the disease, but more people have tested positive to the illness than normal.
The most recent ESR influenza reports have shown a slight rise in cases of the disease over the past fortnight, but case numbers are still below a low seasonal level.
There were small but not significant increases in illness rates and hospital cases, although admissions to intensive care had dropped.
