Flu Vaccine Tourism: Bulgarians Travel Abroad for Flu Jabs as Vaccine Supplies in Bulgaria Are Delayed

Bulgarians are travelling to neighbouring countries to get their flu jabs because insufficient quantities of vaccines have been delivered to Bulgaria. Our team investigated when the vaccines will be available through GPs and on the private market.

Ivan Angelov, from Blagoevgrad, gets a flu jab every year on his GP’s recommendation because of underlying health problems. He says access to the vaccine in neighbouring Greece is much easier than in Bulgaria, and that it is already available in Greek pharmacies.

Ivan Angelov: “Whenever I go, I can get it straight away. I’ll definitely go and get vaccinated in the next few days. My relatives keep complaining. There are delays, you have to go through your GP and so on.”

Ivan is not alone. Many people on social media say they are concerned that flu vaccines are still unavailable in Bulgaria and are looking for alternatives abroad:

“I got vaccinated in Serres. They didn’t ask for a prescription.”

“They didn’t ask for a prescription in Sidirokastro. We got vaccinated there and paid on the spot.”
Meanwhile, GP lists of people wishing to take part in the national programme for free flu vaccinations are growing. So is public impatience, as the vaccines were already available by 10 October last year.

Dr Gergana Nikolova, GP: “People want to get vaccinated, and the earlier the better. That is what we recommend too. But I would also urge people not to go to the other extreme: there is still time, and October and November are both suitable months for vaccination. It takes two weeks after the jab for the body to build up immunity, so there is no need to travel to neighbouring countries to get vaccinated somewhere by someone whose credentials are unclear.”

The Ministry of Health has sought to reassure the public, saying vaccines will be available, although there will be some delays. A total of 450,000 doses are planned for people aged 65 and over, along with around 50,000 doses for children aged six months to two years and those aged eight to 18.

Dr Kremena Parmakova, Head of the Communicable Disease Surveillance Department and Director of Public Health at the Ministry of Health: “They should reach GPs by the end of October. After that, the remaining doses under the two national programmes — for children and older people — will be distributed to doctors in stages. Under the children’s programme, 100% of the vaccines agreed between the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) and the manufacturers have been secured. Under the programme for older people, 92% of the agreed quantity will be delivered.”

The Ministry said the contracts under the national programmes had been signed on time and that the delay in deliveries of injectable vaccines was due to the manufacturers.

Dr Kremena Parmakova: “Each country’s batches are released in stages. The fact that quantities have been released for one country does not mean that the full quantities intended for all EU member states have been produced. The information we have received is that the batches for Bulgaria will be released over the coming week and the following few weeks. After that, it is a matter of planning and production. Other countries are also experiencing delays. The situation varies: some countries have already received their vaccines, others have received smaller quantities, while countries such as Bulgaria will receive theirs later.”

The Bulgarian Drug Agency said that, so far, one marketing authorisation holder had confirmed that 70,000 doses were expected to be delivered to pharmacies in mid-November.

Bogdan Kirilov, Executive Director of the Bulgarian Drug Agency: “For the private market, it is the responsibility of marketing authorisation holders and manufacturers to plan, produce and deliver the required quantities of vaccines. These are determined according to various principles. Although this is not our responsibility, the Bulgarian Drug Agency has always supported these efforts, particularly by exploring options for supplies from other markets. We have also informed the European Medicines Agency because one of the marketing authorisation holders told us that deliveries would be delayed and quantities reduced. We contacted the European agency so that vaccine manufacturers could be made aware of the situation expected in Bulgaria. We are in communication with them to explore options for securing vaccines from other countries.”

Nikolay Kostov, Association of Pharmacy Owners: “We have never received them this late. Our orders are fulfilled once the available quantities become clear, and they are reduced accordingly when there is a shortage, as is the case now. Demand is high — 180,000 doses were sold out quickly last year. This year there will be 70,000, almost three times fewer. In practice, they will sell out on the first day they arrive, because that is hardly any stock at all, with only a few doses per pharmacy.

Photos: BNT

Pharmacies continue to receive enquiries, but the vaccines are not expected to arrive until November.