Coronavirus: 1.7 million flu jabs ordered for New Zealand amidst fears flu season and Covid-19 could clash

The number of flu jabs available this year will be up nearly half a million on last year, amidst concerns flu season and an outbreak of the novel coronavirus could coincide. 

Last year saw record-high demand for flu jabs, with 1.36 million doses given – causing nationwide shortages. 

Given last year's high demand, and concern about Covid-19, Pharmac has sourced an additional 30 per cent of vaccines (400,000 doses) over the number of doses available in 2019. 

The flu jab does not protect against the new coronavirus, but can help stop some forms of seasonal flu.

There will be 1.768 million flu vaccine doses available this year, Pharmac's director of operations Lisa Williams told Stuff on Monday. 

Approximately 900,000 doses had already arrived in New Zealand, and stocks would start to be distributed out later this month. 

1.468m doses would be provided by Pharmac's contracted supplier, and a further 300,000 doses had been secured from elsewhere, she said. 

Williams said Pharmac would  see if more stock can be made available from suppliers if needed, "however currently this seems unlikely". 

Managing both coronavirus - if it circulates in New Zealand - and influenza at the same time over winter would put "a lot of pressure on our health system", Williams said. 

One of the key things people could do to lessen that pressure was to reduce their risk of contracting influenza by getting vaccinated, she said. 

Health bodies earlier warned New Zealand could reach "breaking point" if Covid-19 hit amidst flu season. 

Association of Salaried Medical Specialists executive director Sarah Dalton earlier told Stuff hospitals were already full, and senior doctors were already busy "all the time". 

A possible coronavirus outbreak would add stress to overworked staff, and infections were also more likely to spread in overcrowded hospitals, she said. 

"People are already really stressed and at capacity ... this just might be a breaking point."

There has been one confirmed case of Covid-19 in New Zealand so far.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Health said it was too early to predict how many New Zealanders would be affected by influenza this year, or what type of 'flu season' we would have.

Over the past three years, the number of people affected by flu has been lower than in previous years, likely due to increasing numbers of people being vaccinated.

The symptoms of the flu were similar to coronavirus, including fever, cough and shortness of breath.

There were a number of steps that could be taken to reduce the risk of getting either influenza or Covid-19, the spokesperson said. 

These included washing your hands well with soap, covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your elbow, putting used tissues in the bin and staying home if unwell.

The influenza vaccination campaign will start on April 1.