HEALTH experts are saying cost, confusion and misunderstanding are preventing parents from getting their children vaccinated against the flu.
Fewer than 28 per cent of Queensland parents are planning to have their child vaccinated against the flu this winter, the latest Australian Child Health Poll has found.
The poll found that:
- Nine in ten (90 per cent) Queensland parents are unsure about the safety of the flu vaccine
- One in six (16 per cent) parents incorrectly believe that the flu is not a serious disease
- A quarter (25 per cent) incorrectly believe that healthy kids don’t get seriously unwell from the flu
- One in four (25 per cent) Queensland parents is unsure if children can get the flu from the flu vaccine. You cannot catch the flu from the flu vaccine
- Seven per cent of parents believe the flu vaccine does not work well to protect children from the flu and 44 per cent are unsure about this
The Australian Child Health Poll is a survey of a nationally representative sample of 1,945 adults aged 18 years and older. Collectively respondents had a total of 3,492 children. The survey is conducted by an independent research agency on behalf of The Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne.