Influenza

Over 2,500 Australians die each year from complications caused by influenza. Less than half the people most at risk of developing life threatening complications from influenza are being vaccinated annually.

Influenza is not a cold. It is a highly contagious disease, so these immunisation rates must be increased to protect the most vulnerable members of our community. They include the elderly, those with suppressed immunity of any age and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Why Vaccinate?

Influenza is a highly contagious viral illness that can affect people of all ages. It is spread person to person by virus-containing respiratory droplets, produced during coughing or sneezing.

The influenza virus undergoes frequent changes in their surface antigen, which is the reason why the strain composition of influenza vaccine requires annual review. World Health Organisation issues recommendations for the annual influenza vaccine composition based on the circulating strains of influenza.

The attack rate of influenza may range from 5% - 30% of the population. It can be a debilitating disease causing fever, malaise, headache, myalgia, cough, nasal discharge and sneezing. Complications of influenza include bronchitis, otitis media, pneumonia, myocarditis, pericarditis or post-infection encephalitis. The disease can greatly affect a person’s quality of life. Work, study, sporting commitments, socialising, holidays and family life can all be affected if a person contracts the disease.

In healthy people aged less than 65 years the influenza vaccine is 70%-90% effective. The vaccines have an excellent safety record. They are largely free from systemic effects but may cause local tenderness or soreness at the injection site for 1-2 days.

To protect persons that have a high risk of influenza morbidity it is recommended that people that come in to contact with them receive the influenza vaccine annually. This includes health care workers, nursing home staff and household members of high risk groups.

It is also recommended that persons who provide essential community services should be immunised to minimise the disruption of essential activities during influenza outbreaks.

Influenza usually has a short incubation period of one to three days. Immunity from vaccination may take two weeks to develop and the vaccine may not be effective in preventing the disease if the person has already been exposed to the virus.

Who should get immunised?

The Australian Immunisation Handbook 9th Edition recommends annual seasonal influenza vaccination for the following people:

Vaccination is recommended and FUNDED for the following groups of people;

65 years of age and over,
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people 15 years and over,
pregnant women and
people from six months of age with underlying medical conditions which predispose them to the risk of complications from influenza.

Vaccination is recommended but NOT FUNDED for the following groups;

All contacts of persons at high risk of influenza morbidity to protect them from the disease, such as;

All health care workers,

Staff of nursing homes and long term residential facilities and

Household members of high risk individuals,

Any person who wishes to reduce the likelihood of becoming ill with influenza.
Persons who provide essential community services to minimise disruption of essential activities during an influenza outbreak.