INFECTIOUS diseases and public health experts have warned of "dire" flu vaccination coverage, saying people are underestimating the severity of the disease.
"Vaccination coverage is consistently dire, and some people are being hospitalised or even dying from a disease that is preventable," said Professor Julie Leask, from the University of Sydney, at a media briefing on the coming flu season.
Cost of vaccination has been cited as an issue, with calls for other states to follow the lead of WA and Queensland in providing free vaccination.
However, this does not appear to have had much effect on vaccination rates in Queensland, suggesting cost is not everything.
Professor Leask noted that vaccination rates are improved by services that remind people they are due for their shots.
"Healthcare workers need to remind people to get vaccinated when they attend for another reason," she added.
"We know that flu vaccination is a habit, and once you start that habit, you tend to continue with it," she explained.
Professor Paul Griffin, Director of Infectious Diseases at Mater Health Services in Brisbane, pointed to flu vax myths and misconceptions that need to be addressed.
First was the idea that people can get the flu from the flu vaccine.
"The vaccine does not contain any live virus," he said.
"Flu-like symptoms around the time of vaccination could be an immune response to the vaccine, a coincidental infection with a different virus or a flu infection, because it takes time for immunity to develop."
He said people who have had the flu still need to be vaccinated because there are four types of flu and you can get more than one each season.
Other concerning beliefs are that people who are young and fit will not be badly affected, and that it is just a "bad cold".
"Severe disease does occur and not exclusively in those who are at highest risk," he pointed out.
While it is difficult at this stage to predict the severity of upcoming flu season, Professor Patrick Reading, Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza, said they would have a better idea of it once they know what the main strains are.
He pointed out that the 2024-25 season was severe in the US, but this was not necessarily the case in other Northern Hemisphere countries, such as China and Europe.
For people who do get the flu, Professor Griffin said it is important to limit its spread by staying at home where possible, observe cough and sneeze etiquette and hand hygiene, and wear a mask - practices that were common during COVID but have unfortunately dropped off, despite the potential severity of flu infection. KB
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