All Queenslanders will be offered a free flu vaccination as the State faces a severe outbreak of Influenza A.
COVID-19 measures had reduced flu cases to almost nil since 2020 but more than 4,000 cases have already been reported in 2022.
Cases in Queensland are doubling every week increasing from 1,848 to 4,282 in the past week.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said she had taken the unprecedented decision to protect Queenslanders because:
Influenza A is predominantly a virus impacting young and old age groups more than others Vaccine rates and immunity levels are low Case numbers are climbing faster and earlier than expected.
Most importantly all of the impacts of COVID-19 including absenteeism, interruptions to supply chains and health services will be duplicated and exacerbated by a simultaneous outbreak of Influenza A.
“We have seen how difficult it has been to fight COVID-19,” the Premier said.