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Call for free stronger flu vax as cases soar
Posted 12 September 2017
Infectious diseases experts and state public health officials say this year's flu vaccines have proven to be less effective than usual and have urged a rethink for 2018 vaccines with every option being on the table.
With media reports suggesting at least 73 people in Australia have been killed by the H3 strain of the type A influenza and health departments reporting more than 90,000 known cases of the flu, health authorities have determines that this year's flu vaccine has been less effective against the H3 strain of influenza A.
Professor Allen Cheng, Director of Infection Prevention at Melbourne's The Alfred Hospital, has suggested Australia consider including higher dosage vaccines or adding adjuvants to vaccines to better stimulate the immune response.
Professor Cheng said that while data coming in suggests that this year's vaccine isn't as good as in previous years, even at less than 50 per cent effectiveness vaccination was worthwhile, particularly for the vulnerable.
Queensland Health Minister Cameron Dick said this year was proving to be the biggest flu season in five years.
"Free vaccinations are something I think all health ministers are going to have to consider," he said.
Following an increase in deaths this winter, Federal Aged Care Minister Ken Wyatt said that more than 90,000 cases of influenza had been reported - two and a half times the number of cases recorded for the same period last year.
This year more than 4.5 million doses of the influenza vaccine were funded for Australians who were most at risk from the flu under the National Immunisation Program, with quadrivalent vaccines funded covering the influenza A H1N1 and H3N2 strains and two B strains.
NIP-funded vaccines included Sanofi's FluQuadri Junior and FluQuadri, GSK's Fluarix Tetra and Seqirus' Afluria Quad.
Health authorities also confirmed shortages of flu drug Tamiflu (oseltamivir), mostly at chemists, but said supplies were being replenished.
In July, Sanofi applied to bring its FluZone high-dose flu vax to Australia.
And in August, academics called for flu vaccines to be listed on the NIP for children, along with better, more universal vaccines.
Warren Beaumont
waren.beaumont@lushmedia.com.au
Posted 12 September 2017
Infectious diseases experts and state public health officials say this year's flu vaccines have proven to be less effective than usual and have urged a rethink for 2018 vaccines with every option being on the table.
With media reports suggesting at least 73 people in Australia have been killed by the H3 strain of the type A influenza and health departments reporting more than 90,000 known cases of the flu, health authorities have determines that this year's flu vaccine has been less effective against the H3 strain of influenza A.
Professor Allen Cheng, Director of Infection Prevention at Melbourne's The Alfred Hospital, has suggested Australia consider including higher dosage vaccines or adding adjuvants to vaccines to better stimulate the immune response.
Professor Cheng said that while data coming in suggests that this year's vaccine isn't as good as in previous years, even at less than 50 per cent effectiveness vaccination was worthwhile, particularly for the vulnerable.
Queensland Health Minister Cameron Dick said this year was proving to be the biggest flu season in five years.
"Free vaccinations are something I think all health ministers are going to have to consider," he said.
Following an increase in deaths this winter, Federal Aged Care Minister Ken Wyatt said that more than 90,000 cases of influenza had been reported - two and a half times the number of cases recorded for the same period last year.
This year more than 4.5 million doses of the influenza vaccine were funded for Australians who were most at risk from the flu under the National Immunisation Program, with quadrivalent vaccines funded covering the influenza A H1N1 and H3N2 strains and two B strains.
NIP-funded vaccines included Sanofi's FluQuadri Junior and FluQuadri, GSK's Fluarix Tetra and Seqirus' Afluria Quad.
Health authorities also confirmed shortages of flu drug Tamiflu (oseltamivir), mostly at chemists, but said supplies were being replenished.
In July, Sanofi applied to bring its FluZone high-dose flu vax to Australia.
And in August, academics called for flu vaccines to be listed on the NIP for children, along with better, more universal vaccines.
Warren Beaumont
waren.beaumont@lushmedia.com.au
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