"The situation is serious"

868,000 doses missing: Triage for flu vaccinations!

Thousands of vaccination appointments that have already been scheduled will likely have to be rescheduled.(Bild: Uta Rojsek-Wiedergut)

Triage for flu vaccinations: About 868,000 doses may not be delivered until late November instead of October. “The situation is serious. But we’ve taken precautions,” explains SPÖ State Secretary for Health Ulrike Königsberger-Ludwig, citing supply chains prone to disruptions. Priorities are now being set: children and the elderly.

Just as the flu season is set to start early, the public vaccination program is stalling: About 868,000 doses of the Influvac vaccine—a significant portion of the 2026/27 free vaccination campaign—will not arrive as agreed. This is because the manufacturer cannot make a binding commitment to either the delivery date agreed upon for October or the ordered quantity. Large quantities would not be available for distribution to doctors’ offices until the end of November.

SPÖ State Secretary: “The situation is serious!”
As a result, vaccination appointments that have already been scheduled must be rescheduled. “We’re not sugarcoating the situation: it’s serious,” admits State Secretary for Health Ulrike Königsberger-Ludwig (SPÖ). She says they’ve “done their homework,” but the problems lie beyond their control. According to the manufacturer, the issue lies with production: The WHO has redefined an unusually large number of vaccine components this year.

Königsberger-Ludwig on the delivery delays: “We’ve taken precautions!”(Bild: APA/HELMUT FOHRINGER)

Added to this are supply chains prone to disruptions, such as those around the Strait of Hormuz. “We’re seeing firsthand right now just how dependent Europe is on international production and supply chains for pharmaceuticals,” says Königsberger-Ludwig. The timing is critical: The National Reference Laboratory at the Medical University of Vienna expects an unusually early start to the flu season; the first cases are already being reported. And one thing is clear: The later the vaccine arrives, the narrower the window for protection.

At the EU level, discussions are already underway regarding whether more antiviral medications need to be made available in the event of vaccination gaps. At least for the most vulnerable, the all-clear has been given, because orders were not limited to a single medication:

• Children (ages 2 to 18): approximately 259,000 vaccine doses are available
• Older adults (age 50 and up): approximately 538,000 vaccine doses are available
• Infants, pregnant women, and high-risk patients: 100,000 vaccine doses are on the way

According to the ministry, vaccines for children and seniors are to be “distributed quickly.” In addition, vaccination centers have been instructed not to schedule appointments for doses whose delivery has not been confirmed.

Legal action against suppliers under review
For others wishing to get vaccinated, the message is: wait. As soon as deliveries are confirmed, vaccination centers are to be notified. It could prove costly for the supplier: contractual penalties and damages are being considered.