Doctors warn ‘really big’ flu season looms

Latest data found there was an 18 per cent increase confirmed influenza cases in babies and young children aged six months to five years in 2023, compared to the previous year.

The figures from the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System showed there

had been 34,461 recorded cases in 2023, up from 29,238 confirmed cases of flu in the pediatric age group in 2022.

Pathology Awareness Australia ambassador associate professor Caitlin Keighley said she was concerned of a 2023 repeat in advance of the looming flu season, which historically runs from May to October.

“If this pattern of increased infections and lower vaccination rates happens again this year, then we could be in for a really big 2024 flu year,” Dr Keighley said.

“A really big flu year means a lot more hospital admissions, a lot more ICU admissions, and subsequently, a lot more deaths, and the bottom line is, it is preventable.”

Vaccines uptake has significantly declined post Covid-19, with only 28 per of Australia’s pediatric age group getting vaccinated compared to the 46 per cent of children under five years old who received the influenza vaccine in 2020.

Royal Australia College of General Practitioners (RACGP) president Nicole Higgins urged parents to vaccinate their children against influenza immediately.

“GPs can vaccinate children aged six months to five years old for the flu for free under the National Immunisation Program,” Dr Higgins said.

“Vaccination is the best way to protect children against the flu and its complications.

“A lot of people don’t realise how risky influenza can be for kids. We can prevent this through vaccination.

“Influenza is as dangerous as it’s always been – it’s more than just a bad cold.

“The flu can lead to hospitalisation or even death in at-risk populations like children.”

She said last year’s increase in flu cases was really worrying.

“This is a really important time in a child’s growth, and flu can affect their development.”

Dr Keighley said vaccinating children at a young age was essential to protect them from serious illness.

“Prior to influenza infection, children do not have baseline antibodies, and their immune systems are more vulnerable due to no prior exposure to the virus, making them susceptible to worse outcomes,” she said.

“Young children are also at increased risk of bacterial super infection following influenza, such as pneumococcal disease and group A streptococcus, making the risks even greater.

“The flu vaccine reduces babies and young children’s risk of serious infection and complications.”

However, doctors warn Aussies of all ages are also at risk of influenza, with 19,434 cases recorded since January 1 this year.

The NNDSS data showed there had been a spike in cases in 2024 compared to the 18583 cases recorded between January to March in 2023.

The latest data comes off the back of 43,451 cases recorded between October to December in 2023.