Welshpool doctors call for calm

Welshpool’s doctors have called for calm after administering a record number of flu vaccines which saw stock run out over Christmas.

 

Welshpool has suffered from a rapid rise in flu over the last two weeks, sparking angst amongst residents who flooded into the town’s Medical Centre for treatment and vaccinations. It placed a huge strain on its resources and left the shelves empty for several days.

 

Dr Michael Lewis said: “There has been a rapid rise in the number of influenza cases in the last two weeks. This has led to a sharp increase in demand for vaccination, and supply shortages all over the country. We temporarily ran out of vaccine for a few days just before Christmas, but by December 30 we had been able to restock.

 

“Since we started our immunisation programme in October we have immunised more patients, to date, than during the same period in any previous year. We have also immunised more people so far than during the whole of last flu season’s pandemic. We are grateful to our staff for their help and determination in achieving this.

 

“We urge all patients who are eligible next year to come for their vaccination early. This would ensure they receive protection before the virus spreads, and also help us manage the balance between vaccine stocks and demand.”

 

Despite last year’s flu pandemic, a total of 1,800 at-risk patients received vaccination, a figure which has already been surpassed this flu season.

 

Vaccines are manufactured for each year’s expected flu strains and are not stored for use in subsequent years. Any vaccine unused at the end of the flu season is returned to the manufacturer, and this may result in a financial loss.

 

Welshpool Medical Centre (left) has been holding regular vaccination clinics since October 5 and invited all at-risk groups to come for vaccination, either by direct approach or through a message on their repeat prescription sheet.

 

Dr Lewis added: “We continually monitor our vaccine stock levels, and in the week before Christmas we contacted manufacturers to buy more. Unfortunately none could supply us and we contacted all the practices in Powys, as well as pharmacies, to locate any surplus. By December 30 we’d managed to restock.”