Israel Faces Flu Surge Amidst Vaccine Shortages and Delays
Translated & summarized from Israel Hayom by baba
Israeli hospitals are seeing a rise in flu hospitalizations while health funds are experiencing temporary shortages of flu vaccines. The vaccine supply is expected to be replenished soon, but the delays have caused concern among high-risk individuals. Data shows over 400,000 people vaccinated so far, with low rates among children. The dominant strain is H1N1, and a one-year-old infant was hospitalized in intensive care due to the flu.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Israeli hospitals report increased flu hospitalizations amid temporary vaccine shortages.
- Vaccine supply is expected to be resolved by week's end with a new shipment.
- A one-year-old infant was hospitalized in intensive care with the flu.
- Over 400,000 Israelis have been vaccinated, with low rates among children.
- Influenza A (H1N1), or swine flu, is the dominant strain circulating.
Hospitals in Israel are reporting an increase in flu hospitalizations in recent weeks, coinciding with temporary shortages of flu vaccines at some health fund clinics. The vaccine shortage is expected to be resolved by the end of the week as a new shipment has arrived and is being distributed nationwide. One patient, Yasmine, a 60-year-old classified as high-risk, described difficulties obtaining a vaccine during the Sukkot holiday, encountering empty shelves and confusion about availability. She noted that colleagues in the southern region also faced similar shortages.
Health funds acknowledge the delays, attributing them partly to the need to adapt the vaccine composition to match circulating flu strains from the Southern Hemisphere. Meuhedet, however, reports a significant increase in vaccination rates this year, with a 60% rise in daily vaccinations compared to last year, indicating heightened public awareness. Despite the temporary shortages, all health funds anticipate sufficient vaccine supply to meet the rising demand as winter progresses.
Data from the Ministry of Health indicates that as of last week, approximately 4% of the population, over 400,000 people, have been vaccinated. Vaccination rates are higher among the elderly (12.5%) and pregnant women (5.2%), but remain low for infants and children (1.1%-1.4%). The dominant flu strain identified is Influenza A (H1N1), also known as swine flu, which is included in the seasonal vaccine.
The National Center for Disease Control reported 57 flu hospitalizations in the past week, adding to dozens of cases since mid-August. Shaare Zedek Medical Center has seen a rise in severe flu cases, including a one-year-old infant admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit. Experts caution that flu can be particularly dangerous for children and emphasize the importance of timely vaccination, especially for infants receiving their first dose, which requires two shots.
Last winter, Israel experienced record-high flu activity, with the highest number of flu-like illness clinic visits in a decade. While overall mortality rates were not higher than average, 189 flu-confirmed deaths were recorded, primarily among the elderly. The vaccination rate at the end of last season reached 19%, with 55% coverage for those aged 65 and above.
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