The shortage of flu vaccines at the beginning of the 2025-2026 epidemic season is explained, in particular, by the fact that from next year the world will switch to a new type of vaccine. This was announced by Oleksandr Zaika, head of the infectious disease prevention and immunoprophylaxis department of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, according to a correspondent of UNN.
Details
Zaika reminded that flu vaccines are not included in the calendar of mandatory vaccinations, and therefore are not purchased at public expense.
The number of vaccines entering Ukraine is controlled by the private market. I would not say that there were no vaccines at all - I would say that there were fewer of them on the private market than usual. And what we know from vaccine manufacturers and suppliers about why this happened is because from the next epidemic seasons, the whole world will switch to trivalent vaccines, and before that we used quadrivalent ones, and due to limited production - this is the first and main reason - there was also a reduced amount of additional production, because everyone is already focusing on the next epidemic season and the supply of new vaccines, with an updated strain.
Zaika also noted that Ukrainians are not very willing to get vaccinated against the flu, and the number of doses imported is formed based on demand.
And also, the private market regulates the supply of vaccines based on how they are consumed - we know that Ukrainians are traditionally reluctant to get vaccinated against the flu. This is very regrettable - the percentages should be higher. And from this, the private market regulates the number of vaccines to be supplied.
Let's add
According to the State Service of Ukraine on Medicines and Drugs Control, as of the end of September 2025, a total of 236,667 doses of influenza vaccines had passed state control and were approved for use in Ukraine:
- GC Flu Quadrivalent (Korea, manufactured by GC Biopharma Corp.) – 136,000 doses;
- Vaxigrip Tetra (France, manufactured by Sanofi Pasteur) – 100,667 doses.
At the same time, as of the end of November-beginning of December, there are no flu vaccines left. Private clinics are putting those who want to get vaccinated on a waiting list for December, but they do not name a clear date when the vaccine might become available.