Young children in the ACT died with influenza last year, the health minister has warned while urging parents to get their little ones a free flu jab.
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Children aged from six months to four years are eligible for a free flu vaccine this winter through the National Immunisation Program.
ACT Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said the flu could be "a very serious illness for very young children".
"It's very difficult to get data on exact numbers of children who pass away as a result of complications from influenza, but we do know that that happened last year," she said.
"Of course children come up with lots of respiratory illnesses through the winter period ... but if your child is particularly unwell, particularly if they haven't been vaccinated against influenza, it is very important to seek medical advice."
![Alice Watt with baby Logan, who got his free flu vaccine on Thursday. Picture by Lanie Tindale Alice Watt with baby Logan, who got his free flu vaccine on Thursday. Picture by Lanie Tindale](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/135763310/69cca342-a66c-488c-9e1d-adda169d31e1.jpg/r0_0_1600_900_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Children under five are more likely to be hospitalised or die with influenza, and are more likely to contract the virus, ACT Health says.
The flu can lead to pneumonia, inflammation of the heart (myocarditis) or brain (encephalitis), and multi-organ failure in extreme cases.
The number of people with confirmed influenza in March was higher than the five-year average in Australia, the federal government says.
Cases gradually increased in March, predominately impacting those five to nine years old, followed by the under four age group.
By the beginning of March 2022, there were 308 flu-associated deaths recorded by the Australian government.
![Alice Watt with baby Logan, who is getting his free flu vaccine at the Dickson Maternal and Child Health Centre. Picture by Lanie Tindale Alice Watt with baby Logan, who is getting his free flu vaccine at the Dickson Maternal and Child Health Centre. Picture by Lanie Tindale](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/135763310/2cb45a21-1988-45a7-839f-b225040bddf4.png/r0_0_1600_900_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
It is hard to forecast when viruses will start to spread around the community, acting Chief Health Officer Dr Sally Singleton said.
"[This] is why we encourage everyone to get immunised against influenza and at the same time to check whether or not they're due for a COVID vaccine [as soon as possible]," she said.
Alice Watt took 18-month-old Logan for his flu vaccine on Thursday at the Inner North Community Health Centre in Dickson.
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"I just think it's probably a really good precaution coming into winter, especially knowing how bad last winter was for viruses," she said.
"Knowing that he goes to daycare, there's not really all that much I can do to stop [him] getting sick, so the vaccines feel very important.
"It's so convenient to know that you can just come somewhere and get your flu shot for free."
Ms Stephen-Smith said while Canberra had high rates of vaccination, there was a concern around "vaccine fatigue".
"We know there's a bit of vaccine fatigue in the community, so this is a really important time to remind people to get that flu vaccine, but also if you're eligible for your next booster for COVID-19 to get that as well," she said.
"And both of those vaccines can be given at the same time.
"We don't have a problem with supply of influenza vaccine or COVID-19 vaccine at this point in time."
The influenza vaccine is also free for pregnant people, over 65s, people with a medical condition that increases risk of influenza complications and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
![Alice Watt with baby Logan, who got his free flu vaccine on Thursday. Picture by Lanie Tindale Alice Watt with baby Logan, who got his free flu vaccine on Thursday. Picture by Lanie Tindale](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/135763310/76d85a6a-dff5-4507-8cdf-39c90e40486e.png/r0_0_1600_900_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
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