Qld expands free intranasal flu vaccine to age 17

Queensland now has the largest free nasal spray flu vaccination program in Australia, with children aged 6–17 who struggle with needles now also eligible for the needle-free FluMist vaccine, in addition to the existing 2–5 cohort.
 
The RACGP welcomed Tuesday’s announcement from the Queensland Government of the eligibility expansion, with the college’s Queensland Chair Dr Cath Hester calling it ‘fantastic news’.
 
She said the RACGP had advocated directly to Queensland’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr Marianne Gale, for the program’s expansion.
 
‘We gave Dr Gale feedback that it would be really useful for kids and adolescents to be able to access FluMist if they struggled to have needles,’ Dr Hester told newsGP.
 
‘It’s just really good to see that it’s been expanded and that Queensland Health is willing to work so closely with general practice to get that done.
 
‘It’s gratifying to see that they’ve listened, and they’ve been willing to provide that extra support for the kids to get vaccinated.’
 
So far, more than one million Queenslanders have received flu vaccinations since the state began rolling out its $31 million program on 1 March. 
 
The Queensland Government reports that, as of 18 May, 39,630 children aged six months to five years have been vaccinated, an increase of 9,530 compared to the same period last year.
 
Further, of the two-to-five-year cohort, 70% of the vaccinated children received the FluMist intranasal spray. 
 
Dr Hester has already seen children in the newly eligible cohort turning up at her clinic to access the free FluMist vaccines.
 
‘These are kids aged 11, 12 and 15 who have struggled in the past to have needles, but as soon as [their families] heard that they were able to access that for free, they rang up and booked in, which was really terrific to see,’ she said.
 
‘Their parents got vaccinated for flu while they were here, too. They had the flu injection because they were older, but it was good to be able to provide that service for the whole family.’ 
 
Last year, influenza claimed the lives of more than 1700 Australians, and the nation saw a record-high half a million laboratory-confirmed cases.
 
In an effort to avoid another record-breaking flu season, other Australian jurisdictions in addition to Queensland have added free FluMist to their broader influenza vaccination programs.
 
South Australia and New South Wales are offering free FluMist vaccines to children aged 2–4 years inclusive, while in Western Australia, children aged two to 11 years inclusive are eligible.
 
The RACGP chairs of Victoria, Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory have all called on their respective state and territory governments to follow suit in offering the intranasal flu vaccine free to children.
 
Dr Hester says there is enough supply of FluMist to meet the now-larger demand in Queensland, with Dr Gale having told her there is ‘great availability’.
 
‘We personally haven’t had any trouble sourcing FluMist or any of the flu vaccines this year,’ she said.
 
‘I guess it depends how popular the program is, but we’ve currently got about 70 in our vaccine fridge.
 
‘I just hope they get used by kids and adolescents and we have a few less people getting sick with influenza this year.’ 
 
In its statement, the Queensland Government encouraged families to get vaccinated while FluMist stock is available, as it expects it will be unavailable nationally after early August. 
 
Dr Hester said the program expansion is ‘a practical step’ that will support higher vaccination uptake as the state heads into peak flu season, with GPs playing a central role.
 
‘GPs are best placed to guide families on the most appropriate vaccine option for each child,’ she said.
 
‘This includes supporting informed decisions and ensuring care is delivered in a safe, trusted environment.’
 
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