2 hours ago
1
A flu vaccine taken as a nasal spray will be rolled out to Queensland children next year in a bid to lift toddler and preschooler vaccination rates.
The Queensland government said the product, called FluMist, had been used extensively overseas, including in the UK.
Health Minister Tim Nicholls said on Tuesday it would mean parents could avoid the anxiety of a needle injection for their children, as research showed more than a quarter of kids experienced intensive needle phobia.
Health authorities are urging more young people to get the flu vaccine.Credit: Paul Jeffers
Chief Health Officer Dr Catherine McDougall said providing an option for children who were needle-averse could increase uptake of the flu vaccine, with the current vaccination rate for kids under five at less than 20 per cent.
“While younger children are less likely to experience serious cases of the flu, we know that they can be super-spreaders,” she said.
Loading
“This vaccination option will help reduce the spread of the flu from young kids to their siblings, parents and grandparents.”
While children younger than five can access free flu vaccines through the federal government’s National Immunisation Program, FluMist is not part of this scheme.
The Queensland program, costing the budget $5 million, would mean that parents of kids aged two, three or four could opt for the nasal spray version of the vaccine without having to pay.
Most Viewed in National
Loading
