The Andrews Labor Government has ordered record quantities of the flu vaccine and is once again protecting Victoria’s littlest children from the deadly disease because Scott Morrison and the Federal Liberals won’t.
Minister for Health Jenny Mikakos visited Sunshine Hospital today to launch a new campaign encouraging Victorians to get their flu shot ahead of winter and do their part to stop the spread of flu.
More than two million free vaccinations are expected to be administered before the flu season takes hold.
The Labor Government makes the vaccination free for kids aged six months to less than five, going it alone because Scott Morrison and the Federal Liberals refuse to fund the vital vaccination for young children.
A horror flu season in 2017 saw more than 48,000 Victorians diagnosed with influenza. That number fell to 11,612 cases last year, but flu diagnoses in 2019 are currently triple what they were compared with the same time last year.
Thanks to the Labor Government, Victorians can also get their flu shot at a participating pharmacy – without the need to visit a doctor. The Government has also established 20 Supercare Pharmacies, which are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Pregnant women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and Victorians with a chronic condition are also eligible for a free flu vaccination as part of the National Immunisation Program. Victorians over the age of 65 are also covered.
Flu symptoms can include a sudden high fever, headache, body aches and feeling extremely weak or tired. For children, the elderly or people with a weakened immune system, the flu can have devastating outcomes.
Anyone who thinks they have the flu should visit their doctor, a pharmacist, or call Nurse-On-Call on 1300 60 60 24.
You can’t trust the Liberals when it comes to health. They spent six years cutting hospital funding and are now trying to ram through a dud national funding agreement that would see $2.1 billion cut from Victorian hospitals – putting nurses, doctors and patients last.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health Jenny Mikakos
“We’re making the flu shot free for kids under five, because vaccination is safe, effective and it saves lives.”
“You never forget the flu, so don’t forget your flu shot. Coming down with the flu is not like catching a cold. It hits you quickly and hard, and it can last for weeks. And for some people, it can be deadly.”
Quote attributable to Member for St Albans Natalie Suleyman
“Whether it’s protecting kids from the flu or building the new Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s Hospital, we’re ensuring people in the west have the healthcare they need.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020