Darling Downs Health Tackle Flu Campaign Celebrates Twelfth Year with Free Flu Shots and Deadly Shirts

Read time

Ash Taylor receiving his flu vaccination

Download high resolution image [JPEG 2.3MB]

The 2023 Tackle Flu campaign is back and celebrating its twelfth year of promoting flu (influenza) vaccination among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in the Darling Downs region. The campaign, which provides free flu shots and ‘deadly’ shirts, aims to increase awareness of the importance of annual flu vaccination and to protect the health of community members.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 12 years and over are encouraged to visit the ‘Tackle Flu’ clinic when it is in their town to get their free flu shot and a limited edition 2023 Tackle Flu shirt, featuring the winning design by local Toowoomba artist Nyssa Weribone.

According to Director of Indigenous Health Rica Lacey, "The Tackle Flu campaign has been incredibly successful in increasing awareness of the importance of annual flu shots among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in the Darling Downs region.”

“We encourage everyone to make sure they're up-to-date with their flu shot by getting their flu vaccination every year, which is a critical step in protecting the health and wellbeing of our community members," Ms Lacey said.

The Tackle Flu campaign is an important initiative of the Darling Downs Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health team, to reduce the impact of the flu on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in the Darling Downs region. The flu can cause serious illness, hospitalisation, and even death, especially for vulnerable populations such as the elderly, pregnant women, and those with underlying health conditions.

The Tackle Flu clinic will be visiting towns throughout the Darling Downs region, including Toowoomba, Goondiwindi, Tara, Oakey, Dalby, Cherbourg during April and May 2023.

For more information about the Tackle Flu campaign or to find out when the clinic will be visiting your town, please call the Darling Downs Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health team on
07 4699 8032; or follow the Darling Downs Health Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Facebook page.