A new campaign is being launched today urging parents to get their children vaccinated against the flu, as new figures reveal only 14 per cent of kids in the vulnerable under-5 age group have had the jab.
The SA Health campaign ‘Stop the flu – vaccination for children 6 months to under 5 years’ hopes to increase the take-up of the vaccine for this key age group.
The flu vaccine is free for children aged six months to five years, or a child six months and older with certain medical conditions, and can be accessed at your local GP and some council clinics.
Children under five are the most likely cohort to spread the flu and suffer complications from the illness.
Even healthy young children can get very sick from flu and this can result in hospitalisation or death.
There have been 576 cases of the flu so far this year in children aged between six months and five. Last year there were 1,556 cases for this age group. Just 33 per cent and 38 per cent of children in this group received the vaccine in 2021 and 2022 respectively.
Currently, only 14 per cent of the eligible children in this cohort have been vaccinated against the flu and just nine per cent of all other eligible children.
The new advertising campaign includes the key message ‘Stop the flu before it stops your kids’.
It includes ads on social media, radio, specialist publications targeting parents, GP and pharmacy screens and shopping centre advertising panels and parent rooms.
The campaign will run until the end of the month.
Latest figures show there have been almost 3,970 cases of the flu reported in South Australia this year, with 413 people requiring hospital admission and one death.
Through the National Immunisation Program, the flu vaccine is free for the following groups:
- People aged 6 months and over with certain medical risk factors
- All children 6 months to less than 5 years
- All Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people 6 months and over
- People aged 65 years and over
- Pregnant women*Adults and children who are experiencing homelessness are eligible to receive a free flu vaccine under the state-funded program
It is essential these groups are vaccinated against the flu each year, as immunity wanes with time and the circulating strains may change, to reduce their risk of illness and potential hospitalisations. South Australia currently has the highest mainland state vaccination rate at 30 per cent of the total population.
For more information, visit the SA Health website www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/flu.
The new campaign materials can be accessed here.
It comes as latest data shows continuing positive signs for ambulance response times.
In May, paramedics reached 68.2 per cent of urgent Priority 1 cases within the recommended 8 minutes – well above the 60 per cent target. That compares to just 47 per cent in January 2022, or 55 per cent for the same time last year.
For Priority 2 cases, paramedics reached 59.1 per cent of patients within the recommended 16 minutes. That’s compared to just 36 per cent in January 2022, or 35 per cent for the same time last year.
Ramping in May was at 2,972 hours – the second-best result in a year.
It was a slight increase of 5.8 per cent on April’s 2,810 hours, which was the lowest ramping figure in a year. It coincides with a 5.2 per cent rise in ambulance transports to hospitals compared to the month previously.
May’s ramping figure is nearly 30 per cent lower than the high of March’s 3,986 hours and 18 per cent lower than May last year (3,422 hours).
Adelaide’s northern hospitals recorded a significant improvement in performance.
The Lyell McEwin Hospital and Modbury Hospital both had their lowest ramping hours in a year. Lyell McEwin Hospital (386 hours) was down 25 per cent from last month, while Modbury Hospital experienced a 33 per cent improvement from last month, with 123 hours.
Quotes
Attributable to Chris Picton
No one wants to see their child in the Emergency Department struggling for breath so it’s incredibly important to get young kids vaccinated.
If you have a child aged six months to under five years the vaccine is free and easily available from your local GP and I’d encourage parents to book in their children today.
It is pleasing to see continued good progress in ambulance response times but we know there is still a long way to go. We are getting on with delivering more beds, upgrades and more clinicians in our hospitals to improve care.
Attributable to SA Health Chief Public Health Officer, Professor Nicola Spurrier
Working as a paediatrician, I’ve seen how dangerous the flu can be for little ones. As a parent, you do whatever you can to protect your kids and prevent them from getting sick and hurt.
Their tiny lungs can’t fight this serious infection and there’s a higher chance they’ll end up really sick in hospital. Please make sure you have your little one vaccinated to give them the best possible defence against this serious disease.
