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Influenza (flu) vaccinations

Influenza

As we move into the influenza season it is important to be aware that many common respiratory infections are spread from person to person via coughing and sneezing. The best way to protect yourself and others from influenza type infections is to be proactive and adopt good hygiene practices for infection control.

The health, safety and wellbeing of staff, students and visitors to our sites is the department's highest priority. Departmental staff are reminded to be vigilant in implementing infection control practices that minimise the potential for disease transmission.

Useful health resources

These links provide a range of resources to prevent the spread of influenza in your worksite.

Queensland Health Flu Prevention Page

Queensland Health Flu Facts

World Health Organisation (WHO) Health Topics

Hand-washing and personal hygiene - information sheet 44k

Hand washing poster 194k

Sanitising hand-wash solutions - information sheet 34k

Infection Control Procedure

Departmental flu vaccination program for staff

Each year the department's Organisational Health Unit organises a preferred supplier arrangement to assist with the vaccination of DETE staff against seasonal influenza. In 2013, Medimobile is the preferred supplier of these vaccinations.

The funding of staff flu vaccinations is a decision for the Principal/Manager of each workplace. Each flu vaccination costs $24.20 (includes GST).

If your workplace would like to organise a flu clinic, a nominee from your workplace, contact Medimobile directly on telephone 1300 660 339.

There is no minimum number of staff required to hold a flu clinic at each work site. Workplaces are only required to pay for the actual number of vaccines that are ordered.

Once registered, Medimobile will send all relevant information, including promotional resources to your nominated work site Flu Clinic Coordinator.

If you have any queries about the department's flu vaccination process please email Chloe Wiki, Organisational Health, or phone (07) 3227 6069.

It is recommended you be vaccinated if:

you have children who go to school or day care
you are a smoker (smokers are more likely to get complications from the flu)
you have a chronic medical condition e.g. cardiac condition, lung disease or asthma
you work or travel in crowds
ou live or work with people in a high risk group (with a chronic medical condition).

However, vaccination against the influenza virus is also important because:

Influenza spreads easily from person to person through coughing and sneezing.
You don't have to have flu symptoms to spread the virus.
People can take several weeks to recover from the flu.
The flu does not discriminate against who it infects - fit and healthy people are at risk too.
An influenza vaccination is needed each year to effectively fight against the virus.

The decision as to whether the cost of flu vaccinations is met or subsidised from departmental resources is for the local principal/manager to determine.

Most regional cities and towns are serviced for flu vaccinations. Please have your nominated flu program coordinator contact Medimobile directly via the Medimobile website or on telephone 1300 660 339.

Central Office/CBD clinics are coordinated by the Organisational Health Unit.

Central Office/CBD staff can register to attend one of the clinics listed below. All of these clinics will be held on the Education House, Level 4, Conference Room.

Clinic date	Registration link	Booking cut-off date
Tuesday 26 March 2013	Register	Tuesday 19 March 2013
Thursday 28 March 2013	Register	Thursday 21 March 2013
Tuesday 23 April 2013	Register	Tuesday 16 April 2013
Monday 29 April 2013	Register	Monday 22 April 2013

For more information, please refer to the Health & Safety Fact Sheet: Influenza Vaccination 57k or view the FAQ document 168k provided by Medimobile.

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This page was last reviewed on 01 Mar 2013 at 09:32AM