While the peak of the flu epidemic has not yet been reached in Loire-Atlantique and Vendée, pharmacies are facing a shortage of vaccines. Rosalie Claude, pharmacist in Rezé, confirms: “Since Saturday, we have had nothing. We receive a lot of requests, but the campaign is coming to an end. »
According to France Bleu, in many pharmacies, the stock is exhausted. “Every day, we redirect around ten customers to other pharmacies that still have doses, but it’s getting complicated,” explains Valentin, pharmacist in Bouguenais. Although some anticipated an increase in demand, as evidenced by the 10% increase in inventories over last year, reserves were quickly depleted.
One in two pharmacies out of stock
According to Alain Guilleminot, president of the Regional Union of Pharmacists of Pays de la Loire, around half of the pharmacies in Loire-Atlantique and Vendée are already out of stock. “As the days go by, more and more pharmacies will run out of vaccines,” he warns.
However, measures are in place to meet the needs of latecomers. “In France, 250,000 additional doses will be made available,” he specifies. These vaccines should make it possible to complete the campaign, which ends at the end of January.
A call to better anticipate
Pharmacists are calling on priority groups, particularly those eligible for free vaccination, to take the lead in the future. “This would avoid this type of tension,” concludes Alain Guilleminot. In the meantime, the release of additional doses could temporarily ease the situation.
