AS Australia suffers through one its worst flu seasons, health minister Greg Hunt has announced it may become compulsory for aged care workers to have the flu vaccine.
The move follows the deaths of seven elderly residents at St John's Retirement village in Wangaratta in Victoria and six at Uniting Agewell's Strathdevon aged care facility at Latrobe in Tasmania.
More than 90,000 cases of flu have been reported this year which is two and a half times the amount recorded in the same period last year.
Mr Hunt has requested Australia's Chief Medical Officer, Professor Brendan Murphy, investigate ways to ensure all aged care workers are vaccinated against flu.
"I will work with the medical authorities, health care workers and the aged care providers on how we can make it compulsory for those working in aged care facilities," Mr Hunt said.
"We cannot continue to have a situation where people, whose immunity is already low, are at risk from others who may be infected.
"Our job is to protect those who need our care."
At present there is no requirement for aged care workers to be vaccinated.
The move for compulsory worker vaccination has the support of Australian GPs with the Royal College of General Practitioners saying the vaccinations were critical because nursing home residents were vulnerable to the flu.
"Influenza vaccinations can be less effective for older people," said acting president Edwin Kruys.
"As a result of age, chronic illnesses and close living conditions, residents of aged care facilities are at high risk of developing infections and consequently dying due to influenza and pneumonia.
"Therefore it is important to prevent people introducing the influenza virus into residential aged care facilities by vaccinating staff and health care workers and educating visitors to stay away when unwell," Dr Kruys said.
Aged Care Minister Ken Wyatt has instructed the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency to conduct an urgent review into the practices of all aged care facilities.
"Older people are always vulnerable to the flu, but the many deaths this year are unacceptable," Minister Wyatt said."
Aged and Community Services Australia, which represents not-for-profit aged care providers, has said it looked forward to working with the government to implement measures which would protect as many residents and staff as possible.
"We understand that vaccination alone does not prevent the spread of infectious diseases and other prevention measures are important," said chief executive Pat Sparrow.
"Common sense plays a part, and, in the context of a close community environment such as residential aged care facility, the most important thing is the stay away from a facility if you are unwell - something that applies to families, visitors, staff, indeed anyone coming into contact with older Australians."
