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Influenza and 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 and students is the department's highest priority at all times. 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

Queensland Health

World Health Organisation (WHO)

World Health Organisation (WHO) Health Topics

Hand-washing and personal hygiene - information sheet

Hand washing poster

Sanitising hand-wash solutions - information sheet

Infection control guidelines

Flu vaccination program

Each year the department's Organisational Health and Wellbeing Unit organises a preferred supplier arrangement to assist with the vaccination of DET staff against influenza. In 2012 Medimobile is the preferred supplier of these vaccinations.

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
you 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 1300 660 339.

Central office clinics are coordinated by the Organisation Health and Wellbeing Unit.

Central office staff can register to attend one of the clinics listed below.
Clinic date	Registration link	Booking cut-off date
Monday, 30 April 2012	Register	Monday, 23 April 2012
Thursday, 10 May 2012	Register	Thursday, 3 May 2012
Friday, 11 May 2012	Register	Friday, 4 May 2012
Friday, 18 May 2012	Register	Friday, 11 May 2012
Friday, 25 May 2012	Register	Friday, 18 May 2012

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

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This page was last reviewed on 18 Apr 2012 at 06:01PM