Medical professionals across Australia are raising concerns following an unprecedented flu season marked by vaccination rates hitting a five-year low.

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) reported that 2025 saw over 410,000 confirmed influenza cases in laboratories, surpassing last year’s previous high of 365,000 cases.

This represents an almost 11 percent increase from the previous year, with October alone accounting for 13,000 confirmed cases.

The spike in flu incidence is occurring alongside a worrying drop in vaccination uptake. Only 25.7 percent of children aged six months to five years have been vaccinated, while just 60.5 percent of Australians over 60 have received their shots.

Dr. Michael Wright, President of the RACGP, emphasized that these figures should be a significant concern for all Australians due to the heightened health risks involved.

“This is not a record we want to be breaking, we must boost vaccination rates and reverse this trend,” he said. 

“Getting vaccinated not only help keeps yourself as safe as possible, but also your friends and family members. This should act as a wake-up call to all patients across Australia.”

He is especially concerned about the declining vaccination rates in children, who are at increased risk of contracting severe influenza.

Wright acknowledges children’s fear of needles could be a contributing factor, but encouraged states to continue with needle-free vaccinations.

“Many kids are fearful of needles, which can stall vaccination efforts – particularly as two-thirds of parents say the distress they feel when thinking about vaccinating their child acts as a barrier,” Wright said.

“That’s why needle-free vaccinations are a game changer. I can’t imagine a more effective and timely way to boost vaccinations for these kids. 

He insisted trials of similar measures overseas had proven to be safe and effective.

“The intranasal sprays have been thoroughly tested for safety and efficacy overseas,” he said.

“Finland, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Spain having been administering them for years and these countries have seen substantial increases in vaccination coverage in high-risk patient groups.”