The Department of Health and Social Care has said it has secured more supplies of flu vaccines for community pharmacies.

The additional supplies, which the Government hopes will boost what it expects to be the largest ever flu vaccination programme in 2020-21, are ready for pharmacies to purchase from wholesalers.

The DHSC said GSK (Fluarix Tetra), Seqirus (Adjuvanted Trivalent Influenza Vaccine and Flucelvax Tetra) and Mylan (Quadrivalent Influvac sub-unit Tetra) all have additional supplies of vaccines.

The DHSC also said pharmacies are now able to use the additional stock to vaccinate private patients “and any others as part of occupational health schemes” having extended eligible groups to 50 to 64-year-olds in December.

Pharmacies were initially only able to use additional stock to vaccinate patients and front-line social care workers and people using community pharmacy “as part of an occupational health scheme for frontline health and social care workers.”

However, pharmacies using the stock to vaccinate private patients cannot claim reimbursement or payment from the NHS.

“Pharmacies should consider retaining some vaccines specifically for NHS eligible cohorts, as some may come forward later in the season, such as newly pregnant women or others that have not received their vaccine yet,” the DHSC said.