Skip to content

Search

Important things you should know about this year’s flu season

News headlines about the large number of life-threatening cases of the flu in Western Australia this winter have been hard to miss - find out what you can do to protect your family.

The Kids researcher awarded Research Translation Projects grant

A new research project aims to demonstrate how influenza vaccination in children could be a highly cost-effective health care intervention in Australia.

Nudging towards COVID-19 and influenza vaccination uptake in medically at-risk children: EPIC study protocol of randomised controlled trials in Australian paediatric outpatient clinics

Children with chronic medical diseases are at an unacceptable risk of hospitalisation and death from influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infections. Over the past two decades, behavioural scientists have learnt how to design non-coercive 'nudge' interventions to encourage positive health behaviours. Our study aims to evaluate the impact of multicomponent nudge interventions on the uptake of COVID-19 and influenza vaccines in medically at-risk children.

Video: Flu vaccine Q&A

It's that time of year again... Flu vaccine time! Watch Dr Chris Blyth answer commonly asked questions in the video below.

Telethon donations fund early flu protection for bubs

Babies worldwide could have access to life-saving influenza vaccinations from just eight weeks of age thanks to researchers at The Kids Research Institute Australia and the generous support of the Telethon community.

Influenza

Influenza (commonly known as the flu) is caused by a highly contagious virus spread mainly through coughing and sneezing. An annual flu vaccination is the most effective way to prevent flu outbreaks.

Childhood influenza vaccination rates improves with better access

More children across Australia are being vaccinated against the flu since funding was expanded and access widened under the National Immunisation Program

Antibody responses against influenza A decline with successive years of annual influenza vaccination

Influenza vaccine effectiveness and immunogenicity can be compromised with repeated vaccination. We assessed immunological markers in a cohort of healthcare workers (HCW) from six public hospitals around Australia during 2020-2021.

Effectiveness of nirsevimab in preventing RSV-hospitalisation among young children in Western Australia 2024

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) causes a significant burden of illness for children under 2 years of age. Nirsevimab, a long-acting monoclonal antibody, was registered for RSV prevention in Australia in 2023. In April 2024, Western Australia (WA) launched the country's first state-wide nirsevimab program for all infants and high-risk children entering their second RSV season. 

The Unintended Impact of COVID-19 Associated Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions on Paediatric Hospital Admissions: An Interrupted Time Series Analysis

COVID-19 related non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) disrupted global healthcare utilisation, with notable declines in infection related paediatric hospitalisations. We aimed to identify non-infectious paediatric conditions for which the incidence of hospital admissions increased during the introduction and alleviation of NPIs in 2020.