Cherbourg resident Aunty Jackie Barrett receives her free flu vaccination from Darling Downs Public Health Unit nurse Alice Kupara as health worker Rica Lacey looks on

July 9, 2014

More than 1000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have benefited from the Darling Downs Public Health Unit’s “Tackle Flu Before It Tackles You” campaign.

The campaign, which is in its fourth year, led to 1068 people aged over 15 from Toowoomba, the Darling Downs, South West Queensland and the South Burnett regions receiving flu shots – three times more than last year.

“The campaign was launched at the inaugural Girls’ Day Out health event in March which was organised by BreastScreen Queensland’s health promotion officer Jessica Hobbs,” DDPHU director Dr Penny Hutchinson said.

“That event really set the scene for the rest of the campaign with 56 women receiving their vaccination. These women then spread the message about ‘tackling the flu’ with their families and loved ones.”