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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 well being of staff and students is the Department's highest priority at all times and 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

Other resources for schools, TAFEs and DET offices

Hand-washing and personal hygiene - information sheet 44k

Hand washing poster 194k

Sanitising hand-wash solutions - information sheet 34k

Infection control guidelines 248k

Flu vaccination program

Each year the department's Organisational Health Unit organise a preferred supplier arrangement to assist with the vaccination of DET staff against influenza. In 2011 Medimobile has been selected as the preferred supplier.

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
Fit and healthy people are at risk of the flu as well and should be vaccinated - flu does not discriminate against who it infects
Influenza vaccination is needed each year

Further information about the influenza vaccination is available from the FAQ document 111k provided by Medimobile.

For details on how your workplace can participate in this years program please refer to the Health & Safety Fact Sheet: Influenza Vaccination 30k.

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