The minister of health conveyed this number as part of her response to a parliamentary inquiry by MP Jean-Marie Halsdorf (CSV).
Lenert further explains that this number substantially exceeds the order made in regular years, where numbers usually vary between 60,000 and 80,000 units. However, pharmacists already noted that they would need even more vaccines:
RTL Today article: Shortage of flu vaccines in Luxembourg (16 Oct 2020)
The minister of health thus underlines that preparations had been made well in advance, a statement having been sent out to pharmacists and practitioners alike on 7 September, which noted that the vulnerable part of the population needed to be prioritised. Lenert insists that this recommendation was repeated again on 29 September, as well as in the month of October.
Around 55,000 units arrived in the Grand Duchy in September, with 30,000 more to come until the end of October. 5,000 further vaccines are then set to arrive by December, as well as 30,000 supplementary units for the Ministry of Health.
Lenert emphasises that there is a general shortage of flu shots across Europe, and warns that we should not expect to receive more units than currently planned.
