Awareness to action: strengthening influenza vaccination efforts in Australia
Published: 8th October 2024
Overview
- Influenza can lead to severe illness and complications, especially in vulnerable populations such as the elderly, young children, and individuals with chronic health conditions. Vaccination significantly reduces the risk of severe outcomes.
- Despite recommendations and funded vaccination for high-risk groups, influenza vaccination rates among certain groups, remain less than ideal.
- There is a mixed perception of the importance of influenza vaccination among the general population with some individuals underestimating the severity of influenza or expressing concerns about vaccine safety.
- Healthcare providers play a critical role in recommending vaccines and addressing patient concerns and should be encouraged to actively promote influenza vaccination, particularly during routine visits.
Influenza is a highly contagious respiratory illness, with annual winter outbreaks being a major cause of morbidity and mortality. This is especially the case among high-risk populations, such as young children, pregnant women, individuals with chronic health conditions and the elderly.1 Vaccines are the cornerstone for preventing influenza and its consequences.1 Annual influenza vaccination is recommended for all people ≥6 months of age to prevent influenza and its complications.2,3
Although vaccination rates rose between 2019 and 2020, they have declined and are still suboptimal (Table 1).4 Of note, vaccination rates in indigenous children aged 6 months to <5 years remains lower than in nonindigenous children.3
