Community & Business
15 January, 2025
Free flu jab available in 2025
QUEENSLANDERS can have a free flu vaccination from 1 March until 1 September, with the Crisafulli Government allocating $25 million towards the program in 2025 after the former Labor Government failed to fund the program in this year’s budget.
Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Tim Nicholls said the government was focused on reducing pressures on Queensland hospital emergency departments and the broader healthcare system, and one way to do this was to provide the free flu vaccination program.
“The highest influenza-related hospitalisation rates occur in older Queenslanders over 65 and young children under five,” Minister Nicholls said.
“While Queenslanders in these age groups are already eligible for flu vaccination under the Commonwealth’s National Immunisation Program (NIP), extending free flu vaccination for all Queenslanders should improve uptake and support the broader health system through avoidable hospitalisations.
“In 2022, when free flu jabs were first introduced, this was the case – the uptake was 36% of total population (2,118,481 doses administered).
“However, the subsequent declines in uptake in 2023 (1,837,384 doses administered) and 2024 (1,752,512 doses administered) of free flu vaccinations is a concern.
“To provide context, Queenslanders uptake of flu vaccination in 2024, at 29% of total population, was similar to the uptake in New South Wales (28.8%) where free flu vaccinations for all were not provided in 2024.
“The decline in the numbers of Queenslanders getting the flu jab in 2023 and 2024 indicates vaccine fatigue and hesitancy may be impacting decisions more so than the cost.”
