Staff fight flu with free vaccine

It is a record year for flu vaccinations, with thousands of our staff already receiving the jab.

WSLHD’s staff health team have vaccinated 5,400 healthcare workers across our hospitals and community health centres in just two weeks.

The high uptake follows the major flu epidemic last year with more than 650 flu-related deaths, making it the worst year for the flu since 2009.

For the first time it is also mandatory for many frontline staff to have an annual flu vaccination.

Staff working in intensive care, including neonatal and paediatric intensive and special care; antenatal, perinatal and post-natal areas; and transplant and oncology wards all need to get vaccinated by June 1.

The Director of Medical Services for Blacktown and Mount Druitt Hospitals, Dr Brett Gardiner said it is important to protect our patients.

“As health workers we have a responsibility to ourselves, our families, colleagues and patients, to do the right thing and get the flu shot”, Dr Gardiner said.

“We’ve got mobile teams across our facilities to fit in with your schedule and enable you to have the flu shot by 1 June.”

If you have already received the vaccine onsite, you are ready for the winter season.

If you have had the flu shot elsewhere, just email a copy of the record to WSLHD-StaffHealth@health.nsw.gov.au

Extra steps you can take to counter winter flu and colds are cleaning your hands, coughing and sneezing into your elbow and staying at home when sick.

There is still time to get your free vaccine

Visit a drop-in vaccination clinic at Blacktown, Westmead or Cumberland Hospital this week, or Westmead or Cumberland Hospital next week.

No appointments are necessary. Just check the clinic timetable and turn up with your consent form and Medicare card.