Premier Roger Cook says May the right time for free flu vaccine rollout after pushback from Opposition

The Premier has backed May as the “sweet spot” for WA’s annual free flu vaccine rollout despite calls to start a month earlier to help protect against the winter surge. Shadow health minister Libby Mettam wants free flu vaccinations to be offered from April instead of May, and for the jabs to continue to be free for everyone for six months. It comes after the State had a record flu season with a total of 36,621 cases in 2025, surging hospitalisations above the five-year average. Premier Roger Cook said the timings for free jabs was best led by medical professionals, not politicians in Opposition. “We have teams that work with the Chief Health Officer and other public health officials to make sure that we land our flu vaccine program at the sweet spot, which is generally, according to the AMA, around about May each year,” he said. The State Government has also secured 130,000 doses of the FluMist intranasal spray for children aged 2 to under 12. A WA Health spokesman said vaccination programs were planned for peak efficacy. “In WA, the peak period for influenza transmission is typically June to September, and vaccination programs are timed to ensure maximum effectiveness across the whole season,” he said. Mr Cook’s stance comes despite a WA Health spokesperson telling The West Australian in February, “the best time to be vaccinated is between April and May, so immunity has time to develop before the winter influenza season”. Australian Medical Association WA president Kyle Hoath also said April to May was an ideal time to get vaccinated. “The key is to be vaccinated before the flu season starts and, in most parts of Australia, that means from April onwards, ahead of the typical winter peak,” he said. “Protection is strongest in the first 3–4 months after vaccination, so April to May is a sensible window for most people. “That said, influenza can circulate beyond the usual peak and it is never too late to vaccinate. “WA cannot afford a repeat of the 2025 flu season.” WA flu numbers are much lower than at the start of 2025 with 1446 cases recorded so far compared to 4391 infections for the first three months of last year. However, CSL Seqirus vaccines medical director Jules Bayliss warned the country was beginning to experience an uplift. “We’re starting to see cases increase now. We typically see this happening in the autumn period, and there’s lots of flu circulating, and it’s across all age groups too,” she said. She said the jabs were beginning to be supplied across Australia, making it ample time to talk to a health expert about getting protected against the flu. “There’s a great opportunity for people to get out there and talk to their GP, pharmacist or local nurse now about booking in and getting vaccinated,” she said. She said it was particularly important for those over 50 as underlying health issues and a weakening immune system as you age can impact how you react to a flu infection. The Therapeutic Goods Administrations has extended approval of the flu vaccine Fluad to all Australians aged 50 and over on the National Immunisation Program. Previously only people over 65 were eligible. “It’s not just an issue that occurs for those over the age of 65, there are people over the age of 50 that can be at higher risk of severe flu because they’ve got immune system decline or they’ve got underlying health conditions,” she said. “Flu can be a very serious disease. We know that every year, tens of thousands of people end up in hospital, and in some cases, even people that were previously quite healthy can die from flu so it’s a serious disease and not one to be taken lightly.”