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  • The sniffles and coughs are already here: get the flu vaccination now

    • The sniffles and coughs are already here: get the flu vaccination now

    There is evidence that there is another early severe flu season in 2024 and people are urged to get their annual vaccination.

    Latest statistics in quarter one in 2024 from the Australian Government Department of Health - National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System had 24,019 laboratory confirmed reportable influenza cases compared to 18,583 cases for the same time in 2023, an increase of 29.25%.

    To help improve influenza vaccination rates, the Immunisation Coalition is hosting free influenza vaccination clinics in April to coincide with World Immunisation Week to be held in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney. It has launched a national awareness campaign “Now is the time for your Influenza Vaccination - Act Today.”

    The Department of Health and Aged Care's Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) said this month for adults aged over 65, both the adjuvanted (Fluad Quad) and high-dose (Fluzone High Dose Quadrivalent) influenza vaccines are preferentially recommended over standard influenza vaccine.

    "If a person had a 2023 formulation of influenza vaccine in late 2023 or early 2024, they are still recommended to receive a 2024 formulation of influenza vaccine when it becomes available (from March 2024),” ATAGI stated in its bulletin.

    Dr Leanne Jones, Immunisation Coalition Board Member, said the nation could be facing another early severe influenza season in 2024 with older people among those at highest risk.

    The annual flu vaccination is free to all people aged over 65.

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    A special thanks to our contributors

    Icons
    Caroline Egan

    DCM Media, agedcare101

    Caroline has a wealth of experience writing within the retirement and aged care sector and is a contributing journalist for the Villages.com.au and agedcare101 blog and accompanying newsletters.

    Read Profile
    Icons
    Ian Horswill

    Journalist

    Ian is a journalist, writer and sub-editor for the aged care sector, working at The DCM Group. He writes for The Weekly Source, agedcare101, villages.com.au and the DCM Institute fortnightly newsletter Friday. Ian is in daily contact with CEOs of retirement living, land lease and the aged care operations and makes a new contact every week. He investigates media releases, LinkedIn and Facebook for a good source for ideas for stories.

    Read Profile
    Icons
    Lauren Broomham

    Retirement and Aged Care Journalist

    Lauren is a journalist for villages.com.au, agedcare101 and The Donaldson Sisters. Growing up in a big family in small town communities, she has always had a love for the written word, joining her local library at the age of six months. With over eight years' experience in writing and editing, she is a keen follower of news and current affairs with a nose for a good story.

    Read Profile
    Icons
    Jill Donaldson

    Physiotherapist

    Jill has been practicing as a clinical physiotherapist for 30 years. For the last 13 years she has worked solely in the Aged Care sector in more than 50 metropolitan and regional facilities. Jill has also toured care facilities in the US and Africa and is a passionate advocate for both the residents in aged care and the staff who care for them. She researches and writes for DCM Media.

    Read Profile
    Icons
    Chris Baynes

    DCM Media, agedcare101

    Chris has been a journalist and publisher in the retirement village and aged care sectors for 11 years. He has visited over 250 retirement villages and 50 aged care facilities both within Australia and internationally. Chris is a regular speaker at industry conferences plus is a frequent radio commentator.

    Read Profile
    Icons
    Annie Donaldson

    Nurse and Carer

    Annie has a long career in both nursing and the media. She has planned and co-ordinated the medical support from both international TV productions and major stadium events. In recent years she has been a primary family carer plus involved in structured carer support.

    Read Profile
    Icons
    Caroline Egan

    DCM Media, agedcare101

    Caroline has a wealth of experience writing within the retirement and aged care sector and is a contributing journalist for the Villages.com.au and agedcare101 blog and accompanying newsletters.

    Read Profile
    Icons
    Ian Horswill

    Journalist

    Ian is a journalist, writer and sub-editor for the aged care sector, working at The DCM Group. He writes for The Weekly Source, agedcare101, villages.com.au and the DCM Institute fortnightly newsletter Friday. Ian is in daily contact with CEOs of retirement living, land lease and the aged care operations and makes a new contact every week. He investigates media releases, LinkedIn and Facebook for a good source for ideas for stories.

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    Lauren Broomham

    Retirement and Aged Care Journalist

    Lauren is a journalist for villages.com.au, agedcare101 and The Donaldson Sisters. Growing up in a big family in small town communities, she has always had a love for the written word, joining her local library at the age of six months. With over eight years' experience in writing and editing, she is a keen follower of news and current affairs with a nose for a good story.

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    Jill Donaldson

    Physiotherapist

    Jill has been practicing as a clinical physiotherapist for 30 years. For the last 13 years she has worked solely in the Aged Care sector in more than 50 metropolitan and regional facilities. Jill has also toured care facilities in the US and Africa and is a passionate advocate for both the residents in aged care and the staff who care for them. She researches and writes for DCM Media.

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    Chris Baynes

    DCM Media, agedcare101

    Chris has been a journalist and publisher in the retirement village and aged care sectors for 11 years. He has visited over 250 retirement villages and 50 aged care facilities both within Australia and internationally. Chris is a regular speaker at industry conferences plus is a frequent radio commentator.

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    Annie Donaldson

    Nurse and Carer

    Annie has a long career in both nursing and the media. She has planned and co-ordinated the medical support from both international TV productions and major stadium events. In recent years she has been a primary family carer plus involved in structured carer support.

    Read Profile