The federal health minister insists Australia should meet the higher than expected demand for the flu vaccine.
An extra 800,000 influenza vaccines have been secured and are expected to be available in June and July, before the peak period for the spread of the flu this year.
The federal government has ordered the additional doses to help keep up with unprecedented demand.
Health minister Greg Hunt said orders from the states were up significantly for this season, but the public demand has been even greater.
Last year 8.3 million Australians were vaccinated, and this figure has increased to almost 10 million already in 2018.
“With the extra 800,000, the advice for the chief medical officer is that we are expecting to meet all of the demand under the national immunisation program,” he told ABC TV on Sunday.
Hunt said Victoria asked for 1.2 million vaccinations and had received 1.3 million.
He also noted advice that this year’s flu season was not expected to be as severe as last year’s.
Australia’s acting chief medical officer Anthony Hobbs has said more vaccines would be ordered if necessary.
“We’ll continue to work very closely with the chief health officers of each state and territory to ensure that the vaccine gets to those most in need,” he said
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