Interactive: Flu vaccine uptake in every local government area revealed

Free flu shots for all NSW residents will be extended with uptake as low as 19 per cent in some communities. See how many people in your local area are vaccinated.

Free flu shots for all NSW residents will be extended until July 17 after less than 20 per cent of people got the shot in some local areas.

Concerning government data showed that just 19 per cent of the residents in the Byron local government area were vaccinated against the flu, including less than 8 per cent of kids aged six months to five years.

In Cobar and Cumberland, that figure was only slightly higher at 22 and 24 per cent of the overall population getting the shot.

Fairfield in Sydney’s west also faired poorly with less than 50 per cent of people aged 65 years and older getting the jab.

Walcha, a Northern Tablelands community halfway between Sydney and Brisbane, was the state’s most vaccinated area with 47.3 per cent of the population protected.

Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the figures were concerning given children and the elderly were at a high risk of getting seriously ill from influenza.

“It’s really worrying that just over 18 per cent of children and teenagers have had a flu jab and for kids aged six months to five years, the figure is 25 per cent,” Mr Hazzard said.

“These numbers are particularly concerning given in the last month, four times as many kids have been admitted to Sydney’s two children’s hospitals with flu than with Covid.”

Sydney’s west and southwest along with parts of far northern NSW and the central west showed the lowest rates.

Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said the state’s emergency departments were facing pressure from flu-like illnesses.

“More than 1,000 people presented to our EDs with flu-like illness last week and almost 165 were so unwell they were admitted, including very young children,” Dr Chant said.