FLU SEASON
351. Mr K.J.J. MICHEL to the Minister for Health:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's response to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 on our state's
health system. Can the minister update the house on the government's
efforts to ensure Western Australians are prepared for the confluence of
COVID-19 and influenza cases this flu season?
Ms A. SANDERSON replied:
I thank the member for Pilbara for
the question.
The house will be familiar with Dry
July and Movember. We have renamed this month as ''Jabby June''!
Just like COVID-19, the flu can make people very, very sick. There has been a significant
spike in cases on the east coast. For June this year, the state government is providing
free flu vaccinations for everyone in Western Australia, and I want to thank
participating general practitioners and pharmacists for their support in
delivering this important vaccination program. Vaccinations are available from
state-run clinics, general practitioners and pharmacists. Normally, only vulnerable cohorts—people
aged under five or over 65; people of Aboriginal descent; or people living
in aged care or communal living circumstances, like disability care homes—would
be eligible to receive a free vaccination,
but this year we are making sure that everyone has access. Since the first of
this month, we have delivered 120 000 flu vaccinations, so people are
taking it up. We have reached 26 per cent of the population, which is a good
number to reach by this time, but we need to get that number higher. Our
hospital staff are going above and beyond in supporting our community in the
face of staff being on furlough and taking up extra shifts—they are
working hard and with increasing demand. As we get further into winter, we
expect things to get harder and harder. I urge all Western Australians to get
vaccinated against the flu for their own sake, for their family's sake
and for the benefit of healthcare workers. People should make sure that they and
their families are protected.