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Canberra Today 12°/15° | Friday, March 29, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Fears covid vaccine hesitancy will extend to flu shots

DESPITE record numbers of Australians receiving the influenza vaccine last year, health experts fear that skepticism around the covid jab will see a drop in flu shots this year. 

Dr Antonio Di Dio.

At the launch of the 2021 flu vaccination campaign today (April 28), Australian Medical Association ACT president Dr Antonio Di Dio expressed concern about vaccine-skepticism among Canberrans ahead of the flu season.

But despite these concerns he says he’s been heartened by the response so far.

“It doesn’t look like their hesitancy has extended to the flu [so far], which is as it should be, because the flu vaccine has demonstrated itself to be unbelievably safe vaccine year after year after,” he says.

Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith, who was also at the launch and received the flu jab herself, says while there has been a strong focus on the covid vaccine in recent months, the influenza vaccine is still very important and the best defence against the flu.

“Influenza is a highly contagious viral infection and can cause very serious illness. To better protect you and your family from the flu, it is important to be vaccinated every year. We all need to do our bit to limit its spread through our community,” she says.

Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith receiving the flu vaccine.

In 2020, more than 7.3 million doses of the flu vaccine were administered, more than double the 3.5 million administered in 2018.

In the ACT, only 200 cases of influenza were reported. That’s down from 4000 cases the previous year, though Ms Stephen-Smith says that drop can be mostly attributed to physical distancing and other changed behaviours due to covid.

This year, most Canberrans will receive three vaccines: one flu shot, and two covid shots, she says. 

The flu vaccine needs to be administered at least 14 days before or after receiving a covid jab and anyone eligible for the covid vaccine should receive that dose first and follow up with a flu shot at least two weeks after, she says. 

People who are not yet eligible for a covid jab should get their flu shot now so that they are well protected before the influenza season begins.

“It’s important that we minimise our risk of getting influenza when the risk of getting COVID-19 is still a possibility in our community,” says Ms Stephen-Smith.

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