WA set to fall short of vaccination target as free flu jabs come to end

Western Australia is poised to miss its ambitious vaccination targets set ahead of the flu season, with current data indicating shortfalls across key demographics. The state had aimed to protect 30% of babies and young children under 12, lift coverage to 65% for individuals aged 65 and over, and achieve a benchmark immunization rate of 40% for the general population.

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Yeah, we really want this, we are really putting a whole of government approach behind this.

These targets were set following the state's worst flu season since 2001, which was partly attributed to poor vaccination rates. The deadline for these goals was yesterday, coinciding with the end of an extended free flu vaccination program. According to the most recent data, released on Monday, the state was still significantly short of its ambitions. Senior West Australians came closest to their target, just over 6% shy of the 65% goal, while children between six months and 12 years old were also close, missing their aim by 6.5%.

The gap was considerably wider for the general population, with only 28% of West Australians receiving the flu jab, falling well short of the 40% target. Vaccination policy researcher Katie Attwell acknowledged the difficulty in meeting such targets but emphasized the importance of governments setting ambitious goals. "That doesn't mean that governments [shouldn't] stick their neck out and say, 'Yeah, we really want this, we are really putting a whole of government approach behind this,'" Attwell stated. She added that setting such goals "unlocks the machinery of government to make sure that they are doing everything they can be doing to make it easy enough for us to go and do what they would like us to do."

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Because that also sends an important signal, but importantly, also, it unlocks the machinery of government to make sure that they are doing everything they can be doing to make it easy enough for us to go and do what they would like us to do.

A spokesperson for the WA government highlighted efforts to increase accessibility, including a needle-free FluMist option for children, pop-up clinics, and increased pharmacy access. As of July 26, over 860,000 Western Australians had received an influenza vaccination. The spokesperson noted that influenza notifications and hospitalizations for the year to date are lower compared to the previous five-year average, though RSV notifications and hospitalizations remain higher. This serves as a reminder for parents of infants, pregnant women, and individuals over 75 to get vaccinated.

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We've introduced the needle-free FluMist option for children, facilitated pop-up vaccination clinics and increased pharmacy vaccination access.