Austria Faces Questions Over Missing COVID-19 Vaccine Doses

The Austrian government is facing scrutiny over the whereabouts of millions of COVID-19 vaccine doses purchased during the pandemic. A parliamentary inquiry initiated by the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) has revealed discrepancies between the number of doses delivered to Austria and those officially recorded in the electronic vaccination certificate system.

Vaccine Dose Discrepancies

According to a response from Health Minister Korinna Schumann (SPÖ) to a query from FPÖ MP Harald Schuh, a total of 61.8 million COVID-19 vaccine doses were delivered to Austria, including quantities later transferred abroad. However, only 21.9 million vaccinations are documented in the electronic vaccination certificate system. An additional 26.6 million doses were reportedly destroyed, incurring costs of approximately 200,000 euros for disposal via pharmaceutical wholesalers.

This leaves a gap of 13.3 million doses. Currently, 1.5 million doses are stored at a wholesaler commissioned by the federal government, leaving the location of the remaining 11.8 million doses unaccounted for.

Explanations Provided by the Ministry

Minister Schumann explained that the electronic vaccination certificate only records documented vaccinations, suggesting that some vaccinations may have been administered without proper registration. She also cited potential “waste” in vaccination facilities, such as ordering more vaccine than needed or the inability to fully utilize opened multi-dose containers. The ministry also acknowledged that many facilities still hold ready-to-employ vaccines, and accurately quantifying these stocks is proving difficult.

Ongoing Procurement and Future Obligations

The ministry reports commitments to purchase around 270,000 doses for the current year, but there are no longer any contractual obligations for vaccine procurement in subsequent years.

Previous Criticism of Vaccine Procurement

The Austrian Court of Auditors previously criticized the vaccine procurement process in a special audit conducted on June 16, 2023. The audit found that initial orders were based on population size, but later exceeded that key. MSN

About Health Minister Korinna Schumann

Korinna Schumann has been the Austrian Federal Minister for Labour, Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection since March 3, 2025. Wikipedia She is a member of the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ) and has a background in trade union leadership, serving as the Federal Chairwoman of the Austrian Trade Union Federation (ÖGB) since April 2018. Wikipedia