KYIV. Oct 12 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The flu vaccination service is available in private clinics throughout Ukraine, participants in a press conference at the Interfax-Ukraine agency said on Tuesday.

"The number of people who make an informed choice towards influenza vaccination this year is significantly higher than in the period before COVID-19, because people began to think more about preventive medicine," head of the infectious diseases department of Kyiv City Clinical Hospital No. 4 Natalia Ralets said.

"This year we expect an increase in demand for influenza vaccination, so we work closely with insurance companies and business owners who want to protect their workers. I think the active vaccination process will go on in the second half of October," head of the laboratory and polyclinic department of Adonis clinic Kateryna Komisarenko said.

In turn, Director of the Doc.ua Medical Online Hub Booking Division Olena Hrytsay said that the flu vaccination service can be obtained in private clinics, in particular in Kyiv, Dnipro and Kharkiv.

"Last year, out of 2,500 of our partner clinics, 20-25 were ready to vaccinate, including networks throughout Ukraine. Mostly all of them are in Kyiv or are part of the network. That is, only about 4% of clinics provided such services in the capital," she said.

At the same time, Hrytsay noted a slight increase in prices for influenza vaccination compared to the level of 2020. "If we talk about Kyiv, the cost is UAH 925 per dose with the consultation of a therapist, in the regions – UAH 653, this is the average bill. Today it is too early to draw conclusions about the price, since only 2% of our partner institutions have a vaccine and are ready to formulate a cost, however the average expected range is from UAH 600 to UAH 1,000 in Kyiv," she said, adding that this price includes both the cost of the vaccine and the cost of medical consultation before the procedure.

At the same time, Hrytsay reported a shortage of influenza vaccines.

"Partners talk about a shortage. It's because clinics often buy in batches. For example, a partner last year made a request from a distributor for 1,000 doses, and only 300 were available for purchase. Therefore, patients had to wait for their turn and the next purchase of a global vaccine to Ukraine by distributors," she explained.

Director of the Pharmacy Professional Association of Ukraine Volodymyr Rudenko added that the prices for influenza vaccine in pharmacies will be much cheaper, because they do not include the cost of consulting a doctor.

He also noted the readiness of pharmacies to introduce the practice of vaccination, as is the case in other countries.

"Moreover, we approached the Ministry of Health with a proposal to develop rules on how to organize this on the territory of pharmacies. If the ministry develops rules that are understandable for everyone, I think pharmacies will be happy to join, realizing that people need this kind of help," he said.

Head of the National Technical Group of Experts on Immunization Fedir Lapiy said that influenza vaccines can be innoculated on the same day as the COVID-19 vaccine or at any interval.

"A person can come to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and at the same time he can be vaccinated against influenza in his other hand. One just needs to say in which arm this or that vaccine was injected. Such decisions have been made in the United States and in other countries. Foreign experience shows such a solution is safe," he said.