Early flu shots for outbreak

Qld Health staff warned

GOLD Coast Health staff have been told to get their flu shots early so that they’re not fighting the deadly influenza when the coronavirus hits the city.

Gold Coast University Hospital (GCUH) workers say they were told at a staff meeting on Monday that a spike in coronavirus patients was predicted to coincide with the flu season this winter.

“Officials have told us the virus will hit us in conjunction with our flu season, so staff wise we’ve been asked to get our flu shots earlier this year,” a staff member said.

“We’ve been told that if every Queensland Health employer got 15 people they know to get the flu vaccine then that would make a great difference to health outcomes this year.

“They said for people who get the coronavirus and the flu the outcomes are much poorer.”

Queensland Health did not respond to specific questions the Bulletin asked in regards to the staff information session.

However, Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young yesterday said Queenslanders could feel confident that local health authorities were leaving no stone unturned in keeping them safe from novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

Since January 1, the number of influenza presentations on the Gold Coast has doubled from an average 217 to 465.

Last year’s flu season was the worst in nearly two decades with 264 people dying in Queensland as a direct result of contracting influenza.

The GCUH staff member said “the chatter around the wards” was different to the official line, with staff believing “it was a matter of when not if” a pandemic hit the Gold Coast.

The woman said she was stocking up on hand sanitiser, face masks and disinfectant products. She’s also filled her cupboards with extra rice, pasta, tinned food and UHT milk.

“Usually, I’m a she’ll-beright person, with this one I feel a little different, mainly because the spread rate is ridiculously high.

“It could be a couple of months away before it hits, but I can’t see the harm in having a little more food in case schools close and we’re in self-enforced quarantine for two weeks.”

Gold Coast shoppers who have ripped toilet paper, hand sanitiser and other products from the shelves this week are being urged not to panic.

The Australian Retailers Association confirmed national stock levels remained solid.

The peak body said while consumers might find shelves empty for a particular item, warehouse inventories remained high, and that any “shortage” was likely to be temporary.

Australia Fair centre management confirmed it had sanitised the shopping centre’s common areas and facilities following an all clear from Queensland Health.

A worker at the centre’s Hair Plus salon was diagnosed with the virus at the weekend.

The business has gone into self-isolation closing its doors until March 12, despite all members being cleared.