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It’s cold and dark in Melbourne, and every second person on my train to work has a sniffle. Being surrounded by sickness (please, stay home!) naturally turns the mind to flu vaccination.

This year, my daughter had her first flu jab. But in discussions with friends, I was surprised to discover many parents don’t get their kids vaccinated.

Health authorities are urging more young people to get the flu vaccine.Credit: Paul Jeffers

The flu vaccine is so strongly recommended for children under five, the government makes it free. But this message does not seem to be cutting through in the community. Some of my friends have safety concerns. Others aren’t worried about the flu. Even my pharmacist was a bit baffled when I asked for a jab for my daughter – he had to order in a special dose.

The data backs this up. Flu vaccination coverage has fallen from a high of 42.7 per cent in 2020 to just 23.2 per cent this year. Compare that to the National Immunisation Program rate (covering measles, mumps and other nasties), which sits at 93.6 per cent.

In today’s Examine: should you get a flu jab for your kids? Is it safe, and do they really need it? And why are vaccination rates falling?

The flu vaccination rate has fallen to 23.2 per cent this year.Credit: Sam Mooy

Human influenza is typically caused by two viruses: influenza A and B, both single-strand RNA viruses. Under an electron microscope, each looks like a small ball covered in stalks, which the viruses use to bind with and enter our cells.

It is an unbelievably successful viral family, infecting between 5 and 15 per cent of the global human population every year.

The

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