While WA is still trying to figure out… if we’ve hit the peak of infections… in the current Omicron wave… another Australian state…. is facing an outbreak… of a different virus entirely.

No, I’m not talking about monkeypox… thankfully, that virus… hasn’t taken a foothold down under yet.

I’m talking about the good old seasonal flu.

In Queensland right now… authorities are very concerned… about the way things are trending this flu season.

To give you an idea how serious it is… there are currently more people… in the ICU… with Influenza A in Queensland… than there are West Aussies… in intensive care in WA… with COVID.

Flu cases are doubling every week… and sit at about 42 hundred right now.

And more than 150 people are in hospital.

Experts believe the outbreak… is following a similar path… to the 2017 flu season… which landed a staggering… 750 Queenslanders in intensive care.

And unlike COVID… which has proven relatively mild for younger people… Influenza A can be really rough on kids… and adults under 30.

The Queensland Government… is so afraid of what the flu might do this year… that they’ve just committed… 40 million dollars… to underwriting a vaccination program… that will pay for every Queenslander… aged six months and older… to get the flu jab.

And it’s not just about stopping people…. from getting really sick… it’s an economic issue too.

If you get the proper flu… you could be rubbed out at your work… for a week or more.

And we’ve seen with COVID… what impact that can have on businesses.

Maybe it’s time the McGowan Government… ramped up… it’s flu vaccination strategy too.

Currently in WA… the government is only footing the bill… for at risk groups… who slip through the cracks… of the national immunisation program.

So the homeless… and people in shared living settings… like disability care and mental health hostels.

In case you were wondering… the NIP covers pregnant women… kids up to year 6… people over 65… aboriginal people… and those with medical conditions… that make them vulnerable to the flu.

That’s great… but there’s a pretty big cohort of people… aged between 12 and 65… who aren’t covered.

And getting as many of them vaccinated as possible… could make a huge difference… in reducing the impact of the flu on the WA economy… and our health system.

We managed COVID here in the West…. Now it’s time to do the same for the flu.

While WA is still trying to figure out&hellip; if we&rsquo;ve hit the peak of infections&hellip; in the current Omicron wave&hellip; another Australian state&hellip;. is facing an outbreak&hellip; of a different virus entirely.
No, I&rsquo;m not talking about monkeypox&hellip; thankfully, that virus&hellip; hasn&rsquo;t taken a foothold down under yet.
I&rsquo;m talking about the good old seasonal flu.
In Queensland right now&hellip; authorities are very concerned&hellip; about the way things are trending this flu season.
To give you an idea how serious it is&hellip; there are currently more people&hellip; in the ICU&hellip; with Influenza A in Queensland&hellip; than there are West Aussies&hellip; in intensive care in WA&hellip; with COVID.
Flu cases are doubling every week&hellip; and sit at about 42 hundred right now.
And more than 150 people are in hospital.
Experts believe the outbreak&hellip; is following a similar path&hellip; to the 2017 flu season&hellip; which landed a staggering&hellip; 750 Queenslanders in intensive care.
And unlike COVID&hellip; which has proven relatively mild for younger people&hellip; Influenza A can be really rough on kids&hellip; and adults under 30.
The Queensland Government&hellip; is so afraid of what the flu might do this year&hellip; that they&rsquo;ve just committed&hellip; 40 million dollars&hellip; to underwriting a vaccination program&hellip; that will pay for every Queenslander&hellip; aged six months and older&hellip; to get the flu jab.
And it&rsquo;s not just about stopping people&hellip;. from getting really sick&hellip; it&rsquo;s an economic issue too.
If you get the proper flu&hellip; you could be rubbed out at your work&hellip; for a week or more.
And we&rsquo;ve seen with COVID&hellip; what impact that can have on businesses.
Maybe it&rsquo;s time the McGowan Government&hellip; ramped up&hellip; it&rsquo;s flu vaccination strategy too.
Currently in WA&hellip; the government is only footing the bill&hellip; for at risk groups&hellip; who slip through the cracks&hellip; of the national immunisation program.
So the homeless&hellip; and people in shared living settings&hellip; like disability care and mental health hostels.
In case you were wondering&hellip; the NIP covers pregnant women&hellip; kids up to year 6&hellip; people over 65&hellip; aboriginal people&hellip; and those with medical conditions&hellip; that make them vulnerable to the flu.
That&rsquo;s great&hellip; but there&rsquo;s a pretty big cohort of people&hellip; aged between 12 and 65&hellip; who aren&rsquo;t covered.
And getting as many of them vaccinated as possible&hellip; could make a huge difference&hellip; in reducing the impact of the flu on the WA economy&hellip; and our health system.
We managed COVID here in the West&hellip;. Now it&rsquo;s time to do the same for the flu.

If you enjoyed listening to The West Live for your daily news fix, then come and join us over on The Nightly Five.  Host Ben O’Shea continues to deliver punchy news and analysis, in a new podcast to get you in front of tomorrow’s news today!  Subscribe on your favourite podcast player and visit the thenightly.com.au

If you enjoyed listening to The West Live for your daily news fix, then come and join us over on The Nightly Five.  Host Ben O’Shea continues to deliver punchy news and analysis, in a new podcast to get you in front of tomorrow’s news today!  Subscribe on your favourite podcast player and visit the <a href="https://thenightly.com.au">thenightly.com.au</a>

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