Winter vaccination – Health professional video – Dr Ines Rio

Dr Ines Rio, GP and Chief Medical Officer at Monash University, answers questions about vaccinations for common respiratory viruses like Influenza (flu), COVID 19 and RSV. Getting vaccinated against these viruses can help protect you and reduce your risk of serious illness and hospitalisation.

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0:00 My name's Ines Rio. I'm a GP. I'm the Chief Medical Officer at Monash University.

0:07 As a GP, I see the risk of influenza, RSV, and COVID-19 in older Australians is really marked.

0:15 We know what the data is. For all three of these, you can be vaccinated effectively.

0:23 With appropriate vaccinations against influenza, RSV, and COVID, the risk of getting disease, the risk of getting a severe disease,

0:31 the risk of getting hospitalised, and the risk of dying plummets. And we also know that these vaccines are safe.

0:40 It's really important that you get vaccinated every year for influenza because the virus changes every year. Get vaccinated as soon as it becomes available.

0:49 You might want to put a calendar invite in around April. You might want to ask your GP or your pharmacy.

0:55 With regards to COVID-19, you should have a booster every year.

1:00 Or if you are 75 and over, get your booster every six months. Pop a calendar invite in.

1:06 This year, the government's decided to fund RSV vaccine for people 75 and older.

1:13 Or if you're a First Nations person, 60 and over. So, book in now with your GP.

1:20 Many people choose to be vaccinated with the three vaccines at the same time. So influenza, RSV, and COVID vaccine.

1:28 And it's perfectly safe to do so.

1:30 Some people choose to actually have a gap between them because being vaccinated together, you might have a slightly sorer arm, so you can choose.

1:40 Your winter vaccinations are widely available through your GP and also through many pharmacies.

1:45 They're generally easy to get, so I'd strongly recommend that you make that appointment with your GP or pharmacist now.

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