Doctors call on state government to make flu vaccine free for Queenslanders amid crisis

As doctors call for free flu jabs for all Queenslanders, the state government says jab fatigue is impacting vaccination rates. VOTE IN OUR POLL

Jab fatigue is a challenge this flu season as the state government moves to find ways to get more people to take up the vaccine.

Health Minister Shannon Fentiman promised “nothing is off the table”, including free shots for everyone in a policy replicating one announced in 2022.

It comes as frustrated doctors question why free jabs haven’t been made available already, with at least 55 Queenslanders dead, including 11-year-old Sunshine Coast schoolgirl Emma Schwab.

But Ms Fentiman said vaccination rates were low even in those demographics where the jab cost nothing.

“There are programs in place to encourage people to get vaccinated at your local chemist (and) through the GP but clearly, the message is not getting through and there is a level of vaccine fatigue,” she said.

Cost of living hurdles for the flu jab - which costs about $20 are also front of mind, Ms Fentiman confirmed.

Eleven-year-old Emma Schwab died from influenza B this week.

“Now obviously, if cost is a barrier for some families for the flu vaccination… (and) you’re not in those categories of children under five or over 65, then we will look at everything we can, everything will be on the table,” she said.

“Even when vaccines are free, currently, people are not taking up that opportunity.

“So I want to talk with the Education Minister, our schools, our early childhood centres, our P&C’s how do we get the message out that people need to be vaccinated, and we’ll be looking at all options when we meet with medical experts on Monday.”

Doctors believe free jabs should at the very least be offered to all children amid warnings schools are becoming hotbeds for infection and only 11.1 per cent of children aged five to 15 are vaccinated.

When the government took the extraordinary measure of making flu jabs free for all Queenslanders on the back of a bad season last year there was 151 people in hospital with the flu – less than half the number of people currently being treated in Queensland hospitals.

It’s understood at least 55 Queenslanders have already lost their life to the flu this season. At the same time during the horror 2019 flu season, at least 51 people were dead.

Children have emerged as the group doctors are most worried about with 78 children aged 6 months to four years old were hospitalised with flu – 50 with the B strain – since July 1.

There have also been 11 infants under six months old hospitalised with flu, eight had the B strain.

The Australian Medical Association Queensland, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and eminent infectious disease experts Associate Professor Paul Griffin and Professor Nigel McMillan have all called for a swift response to low vaccination rates in the face of a potential flu tsunami.

AMAQ President Dr Maria Boulton. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail

Australian Medical Association Queensland president Dr Maria Boulton said the fact that more than 650,000 people received their vaccine during the time it was free last year – lifting flu vaccination rates statewide by 12 per cent – was proof the idea had merit.

“Given the severity of cases, and the number of cases and given that it looks like a really significant season, I think it’s something that they need to consider,” Dr Boulton said.

“And the mechanism is already there, because they did it last year.

“Queensland might have won the State of Origin, but we certainly aren’t winning in the vaccination stakes.”

Mater director of Infectious Diseases Associate Professor Paul Griffin said he believed cost of living pressures were impeding vaccine uptake and would welcome government intervention.

“I think any barriers we can remove particularly in the cost of living situation we’re in at the moment if we can remove any financial disincentive and help to boost the vaccine rate, that would be tremendously beneficial.

“We (the Mater) actually ran a free flu vaccine day a few months ago and we were dramatically oversubscribed. So, there’s a lot of people who it did appear that the cost was potentially a barrier.”

Queensland Health Minister Shannon Fentiman. Picture: Brendan Radke

Ms Fentiman stopped short of committing to roll out free jabs for kids but told The Courier-Mail she would be convening a meeting next week to come up with a plan to lift vaccination rates.

During an earlier press conference on Thursday where she urged everyone to make sure they were vaccinated, she told reporters the vaccine was free “for all children”.

However, the only people in the state eligible for free flu shots are those aged six months to five, over 65s, people with compromised immune systems and First Nations people.

“Reports of a rise in the potentially deadly strain of influenza B is very concerning, and I would urge all Queenslanders to go out and get a flu vaccination, if they haven’t already,” she said.

“I will be convening a meeting with stakeholders and the chief health officer next week so that we can work together to lift flu vaccination rates.”

Queensland’s health system is bracing for what experts predict will be the worst flu season in recent history, with numbers mirroring the grim 2019 flu season.

A tally of 47,300 cases, 3,814 hospital admissions, and 31 ICU admissions have been registered in 2023 alone.

Dr Bruce Willett. Picture: Tara Croser

Brisbane GP and RACGP vice president Dr Bruce Willett said he was concerned by the low vaccination rates among those Queenslanders who already get it for free – especially the under five age group.

“It would be great if it could be free for everyone like last season, or you know even if it was just free for kids that would be great,” he said.

Dr Willett said he believed vaccine fatigue was playing a role in the low uptake rate.

“We’re really just at the beginning of the flu season, it starts now and usually peaks in August … it’s not too late to get your vaccine, even if you think you’ve already had the flu because it may not have been the influenza virus or it could have been a different strain, people do get both,” he said.

Griffith University infectious disease expert Professor Nigel McMillan said free vaccines would certainly help protect the state’s children and echoed calls from Chief Health Officer Dr John Gerrard to stay at home if you were sick.