NSW health authorities issue urgent vaccine plea as state hospitals brace for tough winter flu season

Health authorities across NSW have issued an urgent vaccine plea to the public, as the state hospital system braces for a tough winter flu season.

It comes just a year after the state recorded its highest number of influenza cases on record.

Respiratory illnesses like the flu become common during the colder months – putting health systems under a lot of pressure as admissions shoot through the roof.

Last year, NSW recorded more than 180,000 cases of flu-like illnesses, the NSW Health Minister’s office confirmed. It was a dramatic 79 per cent increase compared to figures from 2023 cases.

Emergency departments were overwhelmed with a 45 per cent increase in patients last year, compared to 2024 figures.

Fearing another surge in the number of cases this year, the government has taken a number of preventive steps to avoid overwhelming the state’s health system.

These include extending service hours in some hospitals, expanding weekend coverage and shifting more patient care to digital platforms like Healthdirect where they can avoid waiting hours in the emergency department.

More than 60 per cent of Healthdirect users who wanted to go to the emergency department received care without having to join the emergency room waitlist.

NSW Health Minister Ryan Park urged the public to prioritise vaccination before the numbers spike like previous years.

“We can lower our risk of flu by ensuring we are up to date with our vaccinations, especially our school aged children and over 65s – for younger people who are averse to needles, you can now receive a free vaccine in the form of a nasal spray,” he said.

Nasal spray flu vaccines were announced earlier this year and are available for all young NSW residents aged 2 to 17 years.

Everyone aged six months and over is encouraged to get their annual flu vaccination, described as the “best protection against serious illness”.

Flu vaccines, including the nasal spray, have been available since April, and are free for children aged six months to under five years, pregnant women, Aboriginal people aged six months and over, and people with serious health conditions.

Healthdirect services operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.