Queensland kids to get nasal spray flu vaccine

A flu vaccine taken as a nasal spray will be rolled out to Queensland children next year in a bid to lift toddler and preschooler vaccination rates.

The Queensland government said the product, called FluMist, had been used extensively overseas, including in the UK.

Health Minister Tim Nicholls said on Tuesday it would mean parents could avoid the anxiety of a needle injection for their children, as research showed more than a quarter of kids experienced intensive needle phobia.

Chief Health Officer Dr Catherine McDougall said providing an option for children who were needle-averse could increase uptake of the flu vaccine, with the current vaccination rate for kids under five at less than 20 per cent.

“While younger children are less likely to experience serious cases of the flu, we know that they can be super-spreaders,” she said.

“This vaccination option will help reduce the spread of the flu from young kids to their siblings, parents and grandparents.”

While children younger than five can access free flu vaccines through the federal government’s National Immunisation Program, FluMist is not part of this scheme.

The Queensland program, costing the budget $5 million, would mean that parents of kids aged two, three or four could opt for the nasal spray version of the vaccine without having to pay.

The vaccine would also be available to private patients aged up to 17.

Influenza numbers surged in the last weeks of winter this year, with government data showing hundreds of hospital beds were occupied by flu patients in late July and August.

Senior members of the government, including Premier David Crisafulli and Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie, were criticised for not declaring their vaccination status, with both telling journalists it was between them and their doctors.

While Nicholls blamed “Labor’s decade of decline” for falling vaccination rates across the state, experts have said it reflected wider trends, in particular a reduction in vaccine confidence after the coronavirus pandemic.

Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.