International experts from the World Health Organisation will meet in Australia to scrutinise the effectiveness of this year's influenza vaccine.
There have been a record number of flu cases across Australia this year but deputy director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza in Melbourne, Ian Barr says it's too early to say if the vaccine has been ineffective.
"We have to wait and see," he said.
An interim report on the success of this year's vaccine will be released in the next two-to-three weeks, Professor Barr said.
However, he told AAP that this season's flu outbreak suggests that the vaccine for 2018 may need to provide greater protection against the Influenza A (H3) strain, otherwise known as swine flu, due to the high number of confirmed notifications.
The longer and deadly flu season has put enormous strain on the health system including blood supplies in Australia, with the national blood service calling for an additional 3000 donations of 0-negative blood.
Red Cross Blood Service spokesman Shaun Inguanzo says O-negative is the universal type of blood given to patients in emergencies.
"The number of people suffering cold and flu symptoms greatly impacts the number of regular donors who are able to give," he said.
"Unfortunately, this season has lasted longer than in previous years, so we need other O-negative donors to take the place of those who have been unable to give."
Share
