ELEANOR HALL: In the last 3 weeks, 3 residents in a north Queensland aged care facility have actually died from influenza.
That’s prompted calls for the flu vaccine to be earned mandatory for staff functioning in nursing homes in order to protect the individuals they’re caring for.
In Brisbane, Courtney Wilson reports.
COURTNEY WILSON: Thirty-6 of the 86 residents at the Mercy Healthiness aged care facility in Cairns fell ill throughout a flu outbreak last month.
Three residents died.
Dr Richard Gair is the director of tropical public Healthiness programs in Cairns, which has actually been aiding the aged care provider to deal along with the outbreak.
RICHARD GAIR: It’s not particularly uncommon to observe an outbreak that can easily affect, you know, a 3rd or a half of the facility.
The a lot more cases you get, the a lot more hard it comes to be to control.
COURTNEY WILSON: The majority of residents and staff that were tested after becoming unwell in mid-February returned a good result for Influenza B.
The nursing estate says it implemented strict infection regulate measures, and a specialist response group of senior clinicians was sent to Cairns from Victoria, to advice deal along with the outbreak.
But Dr Gair says there’s just so considerably that can easily be done as soon as a flu outbreak occurs, and the very best defence is stopping it starting in the initial place.
RICHARD GAIR: Exactly what we attempt to do is to urge widespread influenza vaccination, due to the fact that any sort of measures that you take to attempt and steer clear of the spread of influenza are heading to be restricted in their victory due to the reality that it’s so easily transmitted.
So actually I would certainly pressure that the very best means to steer clear of flu is to be immunised.
COURTNEY WILSON: Professor Robert Booy is an immunisation and infectious diseases expert from the University of Sydney.
He says while the flu vaccine is recommended for Healthiness staff in aged care facilities across Australia, it’s not mandatory.
ROBERT BOOY: The nurses and others individuals that job there, on average, much less compared to half of them actually get hold of the flu jab.
If just we could maximise the immunisation of the Healthiness care workers, the nurses and others, we could make a genuine impact on preventing outbreaks.
COURTNEY WILSON: Exactly what are the difficulties in terms of making something enjoy a flu vaccination for aged care workers mandatory?
ROBERT BOOY: The difficulties are that individuals worry that they could get hold of a adverse effect from the immunisation, which by the means is pretty well tolerated.
And individuals don’t enjoy to force others individuals to do things.
COURTNEY WILSON: Professor Booy says if a lot more aged care workers got a flu vaccine, it’d advice to minimise influenza outbreaks.
ROBERT BOOY: Let’s be honest, relatives spend much much less time along with their elderly aunt, or grandmother or uncle compared to do the nurses and others staff in nursing homes.
It’s vital that the individuals that are exposed a lot of to nursing estate residents, and that is the staff, be immunised.
COURTNEY WILSON: Professor Booy argues better immunisation speeds for staff could additionally decrease costs for aged care providers.
ROBERT BOOY: There’s a great deal of costs involved along with having a nursing estate influenza outbreak.
You might have actually to shut down the nursing estate to brand-new entries, you undoubtedly have actually to get hold of a lot more staff in to cover the sick, you have actually lots of hospitalisations and some deaths – every one of these points include to the burden of the Healthiness care costs.
COURTNEY WILSON: Queensland Healthiness says it’s functioning carefully along with the Cairns aged care facility at the centre of the recent influenza outbreak.
In a statement, the provider, Mercy Health, says the Healthiness and wellbeing of residents and staff remains its highest priority, and that All of residents, families and staff are being kept fully informed of the situation.
ELEANOR HALL: Courtney Wilson in Brisbane.
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