Needle free flu vaccines for children have kicked off for the first time this year, off the back of a record-breaking flu season in 2025.

The State Government launched the “Be Wise, Immunise” campaign at the start of the month, which targets young children and older adults, in a bid to prevent a repeat of last year.

Health Minister Meredith Hammat said the program also focuses on people with low immune defence.

“The expansion of RSV immunisation, alongside our influenza programs, is about protecting those most at risk including young children, older adults and people with underlying health conditions,” Ms Hammat said.

The number of influenza cases skyrocketed to 36,621 in 2025, beating the previous record of 23,248 in 2019.

The needle free vaccine for children aged  two to 11 years is called FluMist and is a nasal-based, pain free alternative to traditional vaccines.

The government said it is working to increase the coverage of vaccinations, making it more accessible to the community, including a WA first, pop-up vaccination clinics at AFL games at Optus Stadium.

Professor Christopher Blyth, from The University of Western Australia and The Kids Research Institute Australia suggests the FluMist should work better than traditional vaccines.

“Unlike injected vaccines, nasal vaccines trigger protective immune responses where influenza viruses enter the body – on the surface of the upper respiratory tract (the mucosa) including the nose and throat,” Professor Blyth said.

“So in theory, nasal sprays should work better than injections.”

The clinics will be operating before and during the game, with patrons only requiring their Medicare card and photo ID.

The Australian Medical Association (WA) says last year’s flu surge placed significant strain on WA’s health system.

“Last year, WA experienced one of the worst flu seasons on record, resulting in our hospitals treating thousands of seriously ill patients of all ages,” AMA (WA) President Dr Kyle Hoath said.

With another difficult season expected, Preventative Health Minister Sabine Winton said the focus is on protecting yourself and your loved ones this winter.

“We have made it easier than ever for people to get vaccinated — whether that’s at their GP, local pharmacy or even at the footy,” she said.

“We know the influenza vaccine is safe and effective.”

Dr Hoath said declining vaccination rates are adding to the challenge.

“Australia’s vaccination rates have declined since the COVID-19 pandemic,” Dr Hoath said.

“Widespread misinformation [is] creating uncertainty, and fuelling declining immunisation rates.”

“Immunisation plays a significant role in any effort to keep those numbers down,” Dr Hoath said.

“The AMA (WA) strongly supports efforts to lift flu vaccination rates ahead of what is expected to be another challenging winter,” they said.

Flu vaccines in WA are available from GPs, local immunisation clinics, pharmacies, and Aboriginal Medical Services.