June 16, 2022
Flu filling third of hospital beds
Middlemore Hospital is struggling to cope as influenza cases mount, on top of continued Covid cases and other winter ailments.
Dr Andrew Connolly, the chief medical officer for Counties Manukau Health, says it highlights the need for people to get the influenza vaccine when it becomes available each year.
“This virus moves fast. It’s also very infectious and of course leaves people feeling pretty lousy for a few days and for some people it can be very dangerous, particularly older people and those who have pre-existing conditions and of course we know that disproportionately that does affect Māori,” he says.
Dr Connelly says the strain of influenza varies each year, but fortunately the experts have made the right pick this year and the vaccine is extremely effective.
More than a million New Zealanders have already received their flu vaccine in time for winter, including almost two thirds of those aged 65 and over .
But Health Minister Andrew Little says lots more need to get vaccinated to help relieve pressure on the health system.
He says getting to one million doses by June is a significant milestone and sits closely behind the record 1.1 million doses administered in all of 2020.
Currently influenza makes up around one third of hospital admissions.
The flu jab is free for over-65s, pregnant women, Māori and Pacific people who are aged over 55, patient and client-facing health and community care workers, and people with health conditions that put them at higher risk.