Flu vaccination rates in Queensland too low for herd immunity, triggering Covid-flu double whammy fears

Queenslanders are sitting ducks for a rebound horror flu season, in a double whammy that could coincide with surging Covid cases, experts fear.

Queenslanders are sitting ducks for a rebound horror flu season in a double whammy with surging Covid cases.

With only a third of the total population vaccinated against influenza and herd immunity at an extreme low due to the virus not circulating for two years, the state is braced for an explosion in cases and they could hit as early as January.

Immunisation expert Prof Robert Booy said pandemic protocols and the closing of borders has had an amazing impact on keeping the flu virus at bay but a severe season is looming

“Even responsible people have been so caught up in Covid that they have not bothered to get their vaccine this year,” Prof Booy from the Immunisation Coalition said.

“The fear is that GPs and pharmacists are chary when it comes to putting in their orders for vaccines for 2022 as they had a 40 to 50 per cent wastage this year.

“But it is essential they get their orders in by next week as the last thing we need is a vaccine shortage.”

Only a third of Queenslanders have received the flu vaccine this year.

The rate of influenza jabs has fallen by close to half this year as people have focused on protecting themselves against Covid. Also flu cases had dropped dramatically. From 2015 to 2019 there was an average of just under 38,000 lab confirmed cases of the flu nationally compared to just over 6000 in 2020.

“Social distancing, masks and sanitisers have helped control Covid and the flu but when international borders open and people begin lives as normal then the viruses will be let loose,” Dr Bruce Willet, Queensland chair of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners said.

“We have seen a big drop in interest in patients wanting the flu jab as they could see that the flu was not a problem this last year but it will rebound.

“The flu variant changes often and vaccines are designed for specific variants. The body needs to be protected for what virus is about to hit. Vaccination is the only way to do this.

“I hope we don’t see a 2022 season as bad as the record-breaking cases we had in 2019.”

In 2019 five Queenslanders died each week from conditions relating to the flu.

The GP said Queenslanders are on the cusp of a “not so good 2022”.

“We know that we will see a rise in Covid patients, likely as soon as the borders open and another surge in the winter months. If influenza hits at the same time Queenslanders need to be prepared,” he said.