Figures released by NSW Health show only 20 per cent of adults across the state have been vaccinated against the potentially deadly flu season ahead.

Locally, between 15 and 20 per cent of people have been vaccinated.

This is despite the fact the Federal Government started rolling out the first of 21 million doses of the free Panvax vaccine in September.

Division spokesman Dr Roland Loeve said suggestions by critics the vaccine roll out was a Government beat-up were completely out of order.

“It’s true we only had a relatively mild influenza outbreak last year, but this is a novel virus,” he said.

“People don’t have immunity so if it does mutate or come back in a second wave, as the Spanish flu did, we will be in trouble and will be left open to criticism for not taking action.

“This may be a precautionary thing but we still need to take the threat seriously.”

Dr Loeve said people could get a free vaccine that provided immunity to a virus that, even if it mutates or joins to another virus, would deliver some level of

protection.

“We don’t know what the consequences would be if the virus was to join with, for instance, avian flu. That would be our worst nightmare,” he said.

Dr Loeve said while the number of cases last year was relatively low there was still an unfortunate number of people who ended up in intensive care and died.

“The at-risk groups remain at risk,” he said.

“There is now a safe children’s vaccine for infants and children and by immunising the kids, that will help reduce transference to grandparents at risk.

“Workplaces that suffer from reduced attendance due to illness could encourage workers to obtain the free vaccine available through GPs.

“The indigenous community has been put on notice in the past and remain at significant risk due to the virus being much more potentially severe for them.”

NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant said last year’s pandemic had a strong impact on the community and it was likely that Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 would remain the predominant influenza strain in 2010.

“The Northern Hemisphere experienced an early start to their influenza season due to Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza and influenza activity remains high in many overseas areas,” Dr Chant said.

“An early start to Australia’s influenza season is likely, which is why being prepared and getting your family vaccinated against pandemic influenza before the influenza season starts makes sense.”