Queenslanders have come out in force to get their free flu shot with vaccination rates increasing by more than 14.7 per cent since the free flu vaccine initiative was announced last week.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the uptake was a promising sign of the initiative’s success, with other states following Queensland’s lead in offering free access to the flu vaccine.
“I am so pleased to see that the free flu vaccination for all Queenslanders is working in the way we hoped,” the Premier said.
“I’m particularly pleased to see the strong uptake of vaccinations among some of our vulnerable groups, including an increase of 6.9 per cent in people aged over 65.
“We know getting vaccinated reduces the severity of an individual’s symptoms, as well as minimises the likelihood of spreading illness in the community.
As influenza cases continue to rise across the state, Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Yvette D’Ath said the uptake was the perfect timing.
“We would expect cases to peak in August during a normal flu season, however statewide flu notifications have been doubling each week and continue to rise sharply with 4,230 new cases in the past week.
“The current data trend indicates we may surpass the peaks experienced in 2017 and 2019 flu seasons, but also that we may reach these numbers much earlier in this season.“
The influenza vaccination is recommended for everyone six months and older and is widely available at GPs and pharmacies.
