Health Authorities Warn Parents To Protect Their Children Against Influenza

Parents with young children are being urged to book in their littlies for flu shots as the influenza season hits earlier than expected.

NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant has warned parents that the flu is a more serious illness for children under five.

“I personally think that we underestimate the impact of flu and the need to take measures. This year, with both COVID and flu, we need to do all we can to protect ourselves and protect other people, and that will also reduce the burden on our hospitals and healthcare providers,” Chant said.

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The warning comes as the easing of Covid restrictions, will more than likely see both an increase in transmission of coronavirus and, for the first time since 2019, a resurgence in influenza.

Health authorities are particularly concerned about young children, as many have never been exposed to the flu virus or had a flu vaccine, and have not developed any immunity, increasing the risk of complications.

Experts recommend influenza vaccination for all people aged over 6-months and especially for those who are at higher risk of complications from the flu including:

• children aged 6 months to less than 5 years
• all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 6 months and over
• people aged 6 months and over with certain medical conditions that increase their chance of severe influenza and its complications
• pregnant women (at any stage during pregnancy)
• people aged 65 years and over.

Meanwhile, Covid cases and hospitalisations across Australia and New Zealand look like this:

Western Australia 

• New cases: 9,328
• Covid-related deaths: 0
• Hospital and ICU admissions: 282 / 9  

Northern Territory 

• New cases: 381
• Covid-related deaths: 1
• Hospital and ICU admissions: 46 / 0

Australian Capital Territory 

• New cases: 1,053   
• Covid-related deaths: 1 
• Hospital and ICU admissions: 55 / 5 

Queensland 

• New cases: 7,040
• Covid-related deaths: 11
• Hospital and ICU admissions: 463 / 15

New South Wales 

• New cases: 10,995
• Covid-related deaths: 7
• Hospital and ICU admissions: 1,499 / 54

Victoria 

• New cases: 10,305
• Covid-related deaths: 10 
• Hospital and ICU admissions: 502 / 31

South Australia 

• New cases: 2,874
• Covid-related deaths: 1
• Hospital and ICU admissions: 221 / 10

Tasmania 

• New cases: 1,107
• Covid-related deaths: 0
• Hospital and ICU admissions: 46 / 2

New Zealand 

• New cases: 7347 
• Covid-related deaths: 24
  • Hospital and ICU admissions: 363 / 18 

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