WITH the weather cooling and winter officially just a few weeks away, the State Government is urging Queenslanders to get their flu shot.
The reminder comes amid rising hospitalisation rates and 37 flu-related deaths this year in Queensland.
All Queenslanders from the age of six months are eligible for the free influenza vaccination program, which is available from thousands of GPs, pharmacies, and community vaccination providers across the state.
To date this year, more than one million Queenslanders (1,029,000) have taken the step to protect themselves against serious illness from the flu.
This includes more than 472,000 Queenslanders aged over 65 and more than 20,000 children under five years – the most at-risk cohorts.
Despite the strong start, the uptake of the Crisafulli Government’s free flu vaccination has slowed in recent weeks, and rates are approximately 8 per cent lower than this time last year.
The free flu vaccination program is part of the Crisafulli Government’s Easier Access to Health Services Plan, which will deliver timely and accessible healthcare closer to home for all Queenslanders, regardless of where they live.
Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Tim Nicholls said the Crisafulli Government’s free flu vaccination program aims to protect people from the flu and ease pressure on the State’s health system and staff.
“That’s why the Queensland Government is investing $25 million this year to offer free flu vaccinations to all eligible Queenslanders from the age of six months,” Minister Nicholls said.