Labor is calling on the state government to reveal details of how it plans to deal with increased demand on hospitals during flu season.
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So far this year there have been 448 of reported cases of influenza in Tasmania, compared to 452 for the whole of 2018.
The government's 2019 winter plan is expected to be released some time between April and June.
However, Labor health spokeswoman Sarah Lovell said Health Minister Michael Ferguson was leaving it until the last minute to release a comprehensive strategy.
"Winter is fast approaching, and yet again we are waiting on the health minister to deliver his winter plan," she said.
"There is no time for consultation. There is no time for the hospital to prepare, and instead once again, the health and hospital staff are the ones left to hold the broken system together.
"We need to see a comprehensive strategy around how the minister is going to support the hospitals, to cope with an increase in presentations."
In other news:
Mr Ferguson said the government was taking the winter flu season extremely seriously and accused Labor of "medi-scaremongering" in the context of the federal election.
"It does nothing but undermine public confidence in the hard work of our health professionals, who deserve all our support as we see demand on health services continuing to increase across the country," he said.
Mr Ferguson said the government would continue to take advice on flu preparedness from health experts and health staff within the Tasmanian Health Service.
"The advice of public health experts is overwhelmingly that a flu vaccine is the best form of defence for Tasmanians," he said.
"Public Health Services have been distributing influenza immunisations for vulnerable population groups to GP clinics under the National Immunisation Program, and the government is also providing the immunisations for children aged six months to five years, once again after last year's highly successful program.
"Further, Public Health Services have been engaging with local aged care providers to ensure that they are as prepared as possible.
"The winter plan is in the final stages of development and I will have more to say on that in the near future."
Public Health Services have advised that April and May remain the best time to receive an influenza vaccine, with flu season usually starting in June or July and peaking around August.
The flu vaccine is free to:
- People aged 65 years and over
- All Aboriginal and Torres Strait people aged over six months
- Pregnant women
- People aged six months and over with medical conditions such as lung or heart disease, severe asthma, impaired immunity or diabetes. All these conditions increase the risk of flu complications
- Children from six months to less than five years can receive a free state government-funded flu vaccine again this year
For more information visit www.flu.tas.gov.au.