A group of more than 75 experts including leading Australian influenza specialists says it is vital GPs, pharmacists and other frontline health care workers get vaccinated once the 2012 flu vaccine is released on March 15 in preparation for this year’s flu season.

Gathering in Melbourne this week for the Influenza Specialist Group’s (ISG) Annual Scientific Meeting, the experts are concerned vaccination uptake levels among health care workers is still too low.

Another major concern, according to ISG Director and Royal Melbourne Hospital Respiratory Medicine Director Professor Lou Irving, is that many health care staff come to work when sick and could pass the flu and other respiratory viral infections onto patients.

“There’s a long standing attitude among many doctors to keep battling on when they are unwell as they think their patients still need them.

“It’s important to emphasise that if you’re sick, you shouldn’t be at work – viral infections can have serious consequences,” he said.

Professor Irving said some doctors are resisting flu vaccinations because they think they won’t contract the illness or they have difficulty finding the time to get the vaccine.

“A lack of knowledge that even if you’re healthy, you’re still at risk and a lack of understanding among doctors that they might pass the virus onto their patients highlight the need to raise awareness of vaccination benefits,” he said.

And both Professor Irving and University of NSW School of Public Health and Community Medicine Senior Research Fellow, Dr Holly Seale, agree the government should be playing a greater role in helping to increase flu vaccination uptake levels among health care workers.

“Perhaps it’s time the Australian government looks beyond educational or promotional programs and investigates the use of mandatory flu vaccine policies to bolster uptake,” said Dr Seale.

“There is a role for the government to show how important it is for health care workers to be vaccinated and this could be done through a campaign similar to the one used by the UK’s NHS,” said Professor Irving.

The ISG is encouraging GPs to use the crucial pre-flu season period to prepare for the winter season and think about recalling at risk patients including: 65 year olds, Indigenous Australians, pregnant women and those with underlying medical conditions such severe asthma, lung and heart conditions and renal disease, as well as scheduling flu vaccination clinics to ensure patients are protected from influenza in 2012.

To help GPs prepare for flu season, the ISG has released a new guide available at www.influenzaspecialistgroup.org.au/publications/influenza-a-guide-for-gps

For more information, or to set up an interview with an ISG director, please contact:

Rachael Nightingale, Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, 0449 881 980 or 03 8695 3511, Rachael.Nightingale@ogilvy.com.au

Cathy Palfreyman, Ogilvy Public RelationsWorldwide, 0438 001 086 or 03 8638 2194, Cathy.Palfreyman@ogilvy.com.au

Source: http://ahha.asn.au/news/experts-urge-vaccinations-gps-flu-season-approaches