Flu vaccine stockpile to double this season

The supply of flu vaccines in China this year will be twice as large as last year to ensure demand is met, the top health authority said on Wednesday, adding it is well prepared for the arrival of flu season.

He Qinghua, deputy director of National Health Commission's Disease Prevention and Control Bureau, said at a news conference that about 28 million doses of flu vaccines will enter the domestic market this winter and next spring, which is peak flu season in most parts of China - more than double the number available during the last flu season.

The commission has been working with related departments to encourage flu vaccine producers to increase production for this year, and the National Medical Products Administration has also accelerated inspection and approval procedures for flu vaccines this year. More than 20 million doses of flu vaccine have been released to the market after approval, he said.