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Push for young children to get flu vaccine
The Chief Medical Officer has said vaccination of the youngest cohort is ‘a priority' ahead of this year's influenza season.
Less than a third of children aged six months to five years were vaccinated last year.
The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Professor Paul Kelly has written to vaccination providers, urging them to stress the importance of influenza vaccination as a new season approaches.
In the correspondence, Professor Kelly indicated that he is ‘particularly concerned’ about influenza in children aged from six months to five years.
‘Last year, children aged younger than five years had the highest influenza notification rates, with only 32% of the cohort receiving a vaccine,’ he wrote.
‘This rate was even lower for First Nations children at 21.5%. Increasing uptake of influenza vaccines should be a priority.’
The CMO also said that pregnant women are more than twice as likely as non-pregnant women to go to hospital due to influenza, and that vaccination among this cohort is ‘lower than that it should be’.
He advised the Australian Government will run a dedicated communications campaign to improve uptake in those groups.
Vaccination supplies are expected to be available in April under the National Immunisation Program (NIP) to offer protection for the peak of the influenza season, which is expected from June to September in most parts of Australia.
‘In 2022, there was a resurgence of influenza arising from the reopening of international borders,’ Professor Kelly wrote.
‘In 2023, seasonal influenza activity is expected to continue, and we encourage you to emphasise the importance of influenza vaccination.’
Influenza levels hit a record low in 2021 due to Australia’s border closures but the presence of the disease rebounded in 2022.
Some experts have warned that an early flu season could be possible this year.
Influenza vaccines are recommended for everyone aged over six months, and funded under the NIP for the following groups:
- people aged 65 years and older
- children aged between six months and five years
- pregnant women
- people aged six months and older with medical conditions that increase their risk of influenza
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged six months and older.
This week, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) also released their clinical advice on the administration of influenza vaccines for the 2023 season. These are available on the Department of Health and Aged Care website.
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