Drive is on to increase flu jab numbers

A patient gets a flu jab, with the number of people getting the immunisation in Northland peaking at almost 40,000 a year. Photo / File

The number of Northlanders immunised against flu has fluctuated over the past three years, with delivered doses peaking at almost 40,000 in one year.

Health officials are hoping to beat that number this year by sharing stories from Northland women who contracted the virus, one while pregnant and the other while working in healthcare.

Information released by the Ministry of Health showed there were 37,850 influenza vaccinations distributed in Northland in 2014, a decrease from the 38,157 distributed in 2013. However, the number of vaccinations distributed in the two most recent years were substantially higher than the 31,700 in 2012.

Northland medical officer of health Shirley Crawshaw said the Northland District Health Board (NDHB) and medical providers had worked hard to stress the importance of the influenza vaccination.

"This year we are working with a pregnant mum who got the flu while pregnant, and a nurse who also became critically ill with influenza, to promote the key messages," Dr Crawshaw said.

"NDHB always plans for winter and a part of this is the promotion of key messages.

"That is, influenza vaccination for pregnant women is free and we make the vaccination available at our antenatal clinics."

Dr Crawshaw said the organisation was specifically focusing on young adults as part of this year's immunisation campaign. There was also a programme targeted at healthcare workers.

The target is for 75 per cent of NDHB staff to be vaccinated.

Dr Crawshaw said it was extremely important for people to get immunised, particularly those over 65 and with existing illnesses.

"First and foremost, it is really vital that the susceptible population get immunised.

"These are people aged over 65 years or those with weakened immune systems and those with chronic illnesses and pregnant women, where influenza often leads to severe pneumonia," she said.

The manufacture and distribution of the vaccination has been delayed by a month this year while two new strains of the influenza virus are added to it.

Ministry of Health chief medical officer Don Mackie said the vaccination would be more effective.

The ministry expects the vaccine to be with GPs in early April.