Health workers urged to get the flu jab

Around 500 health workers had their jabs in the first day and a half of a district health board’s drive to keep the flu at bay this winter.

The Hutt Valley District Health Board is aiming to have 80 per cent of its 2500 staff vaccinated in an influenza awareness campaign which began on April 16.

With the DHB’s 67 per cent vaccination rate last year, Chief executive Dale Oliff said there was a lot of room for improvement.

Taira¯whiti DHB had the highest staff vaccination rate of the country’s 20 DHBs at 84 percent while Nelson Marlbrough had the lowest with 51 per cent.

‘‘We are health leaders and health models. We just want to make sure our people are well and can come to work and look after our community.’’

The free voluntary vaccinations were part of a wider drive to ‘‘get as many people in our community vaccinated as possible’’.

Regional Public Health and Te Awakairangi Health Network were also spreading the vaccination message.

Neighbouring DHB, Capital and Coast had the same staff vaccination rate last year as Hutt Valley. A spokesman said they also offered free employee vaccinationsas part of their commitment to protect the health of staff and patients.

‘‘A whole lot of [less serious] conditions get wrapped up under the flu, but flu is a serious illness - it can have dire consequences. I don’t think people take it seriously enough,’’ Oliff said.

Research from the University of Otago, Wellington showed the flu killed about 500 New Zealanders a year.

Vaccination was the best guard against the flu and Oliff said it defied belief that only 14 per cent of people in the Hutt got their shots last year - 1 per cent lower than the national average.

The advent of the H3N2 strain made avoiding the flu particularly important this winter. Last year in Australia, the strain killed at least 73 people and predominated the number of laboratory confirmed influenza cases.

Oliff said H3N2 had caused increased pressure on health systems in the Northern Hemisphere during their recent winter.

The vaccines used in New Zealand had been updated to help combat the H3N2 strain.

* Check www.fightflu.co.nz to see if you are eligible for a free flu vaccination.

MATTHEW TSO/ STUFF Hutt Valley District Health Board senior communications advisor Renee Ritete and registered nurse Karen Holden have been part of the push to get staff and the public vaccinated.