Misinformation and needle phobia are being blamed for the slow take-up of kids’ flu vaccinations this year, with only 17 per cent of 3200 parents surveyed across the country having made the trip to get their children jabbed so far.
Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital conducted the poll, revealing 39 per cent were either unsure about or not planning to vaccinate their children against influenza.
While 44 per cent indicated an intention to vaccinate, the actual number of jabs administered is significantly lower.
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“So far, only 16 per cent of children under five, and less than 10 per cent of children at school age have actually had that vaccination,” said Dr Anthea Rhodes from the Royal Children’s Hospital.
“So it’s good to have those intentions, but one of the challenges is actually getting it done.”
Misinformation is contributing to the low vaccination rates.
“Just talking to other parents, I think particularly with the flu vaccine, people are just like, ‘it’s just a cold, it’s not that big a deal’,” parent Lauren Walkenhorst said.
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“This has definitely become an increasing problem, mis- and disinformation is now a big challenge for parents to battle when trying to make informed decisions.”
Another misconception is that it is too late to receive the flu jab.
Children under five years of age can receive free flu vaccinations through their local councils, and there are calls to expand the rollout further.
“A program that is administered through schools would be a game-changer,” Dr Rhodes said.
This article was produced with the assistance of 9ExPress.
