Last year Hornsby was particularly hard hit by the flu. No one wants to get sick and we particularly don’t want the littlest members of our community to fall ill.
That is why I am so pleased that all children aged between 6 months and 5 years will be able to access free flu injections this winter. The NSW State Government’s $3.5 million influenza vaccination program will help stop the flu from striking the younger members of the community.
400,000 children across the State will be eligible to receive the injection for free from April. As parents know, younger kids are also more likely to spread the flu. Stopping them from getting sick, will stop the spread to other family members and the local community.
Currently vaccination rates in NSW have increased by 6.3% since 2010 to 93.9% in 2017.
So this is just one step further in the protection of NSW children.
If your child has not had a flu vaccination they will need two doses, one month apart. The vaccine will cover four strains of influenza virus, two A strains and two B strains, likely to be circulating this winter.
Last year there were more than 12,000 confirmed cases of influenza in children under five, with many more likely not to have been tested.
For more information, see www.health.nsw.gov.au/immunisation
