Vaccine supply problem hits children's flu immunisation programme

A trial flu immunisation programme for children aged seven to ten years old in England has been temporarily halted after it was hit by a supply problem with the vaccine.

Public Health England has had to delay providing nasal spray vaccines for the children in six pilot areas after some existing supplies did not meet strict licensing standards.

Drug company AstraZeneca is obtaining European approval for a new batch of the vaccine from the US.

PHE medical director Paul Cosford said: 'As with all of our vaccination programmes, we are using an established contingency plan and AstraZeneca are currently putting an alternative supply of the same vaccine from the US through European testing.

'Providing they meet the standards, these batches will be made available in the coming weeks.'

Orders for vaccines for children aged two to six have not been affected.