Chief Health Officer Marianne Gale received her flu vaccination earlier this year.
Chief Health Officer Dr Marianne Gale has urged Queenslanders to get vaccinated with this year’s flu season expected to peak in the coming weeks.
Already, 1.7 million Queenslanders have received their flu jab this year.
This includes 31,260 more children and adolescents aged 6 months to 17 years who have been vaccinated compared to the same time last year.
Dr Gale has encouraged Queenslanders to make use of the free vaccination program before it ends on 30 September.
“It’s not too late to get vaccinated,” Dr Gale said.
“This year, we’ve seen a later flu peak and a more unusual flu season which may be due to last year’s record number of cases.
“In addition to that, we also had a second wave of the ‘Super-K’ strain from Europe throughout December and January.
“These factors change the population’s immunity to flu, which is likely why we’re seeing a different looking flu season this year.”
Cases and hospitalisation rates increased over the past six weeks.
Data showed a 44 per cent increase in flu notifications last week compared to the week prior.
This is the highest weekly count recorded so far this year, with 2,200 notifications. Increases were seen across all regions and age groups.
Since 1 March, unvaccinated hospitalisations accounted for 84 per cent of hospitalisations.
“Just a gentle reminder: if you are unwell, please stay home and take good care of yourself,” Dr Gale said.
“Seek medical advice if you are worried about your symptoms or are at higher risk of becoming very unwell.”
Getting a yearly flu vaccination is recommended for all people 6 months and over, particularly for those at higher risk of becoming very unwell.
This includes children, the elderly, pregnant women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and individuals with health conditions.
Queenslanders can receive their flu vaccine from a GP, pharmacy, community clinic or another vaccination provider.
“Queensland has had some fantastic key vaccination achievements this year,” Dr Gale said.
“We have seen significant improvements in vaccination rates among young children – a close to 8 per cent increase in coverage.
“A big part of that has been the availability of FluMist, which the Queensland Government has supported.
“We have also seen an additional 6,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples receive their vaccinations this year.”
Find out where to get vaccinated here.