Young children can now have their flu jab at pharmacies, with pharmacists gaining authorisation to deliver the vaccines to kids aged five years and over.
Announced by Minister for Health, Martin Foley, the authorisation follows the number of flu cases rising across the State for the first time in three years.
“While Victoria’s flu season usually runs from April to September, more than 6,400 cases of influenza have already been reported this year – with the highest numbers seen in children and young adults aged between five and 24,” Mr Foley said.
“The number of reported cases is already far more than those recorded in the past two years,” he said.
“In 2020, there were 4,792 reported cases for the whole year, while in 2021 there were just 110 known cases.”
Mr Foley said public health experts believed two years of low influenza infection rates coupled with the reopening of international borders and reintroduction of influenza into the community could result in high infection rates this year.
“This will be the first time in two years, that Victoria will face a real flu season,” the Minister said, “this change is about making it even easier for busy mums and dads to get their kids vaccinated from the flu.”
He said Victoria’s community pharmacists already had significant experience vaccinating young children aged five to 11, who became eligible for their first COVID-19 vaccination in January.
Mr Foley said the changes would also see Victoria become the first State to allow pharmacists and nurse immunisers to administer the Japanese Encephalitis vaccine to eligible Victorians, which they previously had not been able to do.
He said both the flu and COVID-19 vaccines could be safely administered at the same time.
“The cold weather also serves as a timely reminder to make sure your child is up to date with their vaccinations,” he said.
“More than 87,000 children aged five to 11 are now overdue for their second COVID-19 vaccine,” Mr Foley said.
