Fresh push to turn around ‘dire’ flu vaccination rate

The RACGP President has once again urged people around Australia to protect themselves against influenza as case numbers rise rapidly against a backdrop of stalling vaccination rates.
 
So far, 35.2% of people aged over 65 have been vaccinated this year, as the number of infections hit 72,360 laboratory-confirmed cases according to the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System.
 
‘Earlier this year, we called for action following more than 46,000 lab-confirmed flu cases, a 50% spike compared to the same period last year,’ Dr Michael Wright said.  
 
‘We’re also seeing an alarming fall in vaccination rates nationwide compared to previous years, as well as for other respiratory diseases including COVID-19 and whooping cough.
 
‘I urge all Australians to keep in mind that the flu can not only land you in hospital, but take your life, and it must be taken seriously.  
 
‘We’ve already seen a very early start to the flu season, and we’re set to see a surge in flu and other respiratory diseases in the coming winter months.’
 
This week, influenza and vaccination experts briefed media on the likely impact of the 2025 season in Australia.
 
‘There’s a lack of concern about influenza,’ said Professor Julie Leask from the University of Sydney’s School of Public Health.
 
‘It’s kind of the underdog of infectious diseases and people tend to underestimate its severity.
 
‘It’s always a bad flu season, because it’s hospitalising and killing people and making them sick.
 
‘Our influenza vaccination rates in Australia are dire, and they’re not improving.’
 
Professor Patrick Reading, Director of the World Health Organization’s Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza, noted a severe flu season in 2024–25 in Europe and the United States, as well as the high case numbers across Australia.
 
‘Despite the increased influenza activity, we can’t currently predict the severity of the upcoming season in Australia,’ he said.
 
‘This will be dependent on a range of factors, which virus subtype becomes dominant or which strain becomes dominant, for example.
 
‘Influenza vaccines are now available and are the best way to reduce the likelihood of hospitalisation and GP visits associated with influenza infections.’
 
Last year, data from the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance showed a substantial drop in the rate of flu vaccinations in Australia.
 
In 2024, there was a record-breaking 365,595 flu cases nationwide, more than the previous peak of 313,453 cases in 2019.
 
Travel restrictions imposed due to COVID-19 led to a dramatic fall in influenza cases in 2021 before numbers began to climb again.
 
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