Firstly, I want to say thank you and acknowledge all of our veterans and service men and women, past and present, for the service and sacrifice they have made to our country. Without it we would not be living in the wonderful country we enjoy today.
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Second, under the federal Coalition government, it will now be mandatory for every aged care provider to offer the flu vaccine to staff working in residential aged care homes. This is a significant step in ensuring our senior residents are protected ahead of this year’s flu season.
This announcement sends a strong message to our senior residents, that their health and well-being is a top priority for our government.
The Minister for Aged Care, Ken Wyatt has also said that vaccination is imperative for staff and residents in aged care, where the flu can spread quickly and have devastating consequences.
Last winter, aged care homes, with only a quarter of their staff vaccinated, had a 25 per cent higher rate of flu outbreaks than those with three quarters or more of their staff vaccinated. This is why our government is taking strong action to ensure the safety of senior Australians in aged care.
Last year, more than 1100 influenza-associated deaths were reported in Australia, with people aged 65 years and older accounting for more than 90 per cent of these.
Minister Wyatt ordered the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency to review two aged care homes in Victoria and Tasmania, where 18 people died. In that review, alarmingly, well under half of the staff had been vaccinated, with only one third coverage in one of the centres, and the homes’ infection control programs were poor. Infection control was further compromised as dozens of staff were struck down with the flu, compounding a deadly situation.
Every one of us has a responsibility to reduce the chance of spreading the virus among some of our most vulnerable citizens. This week is World Immunization Week, a timely reminder for all Australians to have their flu shot, especially those who regularly visit loved ones in aged care homes.
