Children's hospital deals with spike in winter flu cases

Morning Report · Aug 26, 2026 · 5m

Starship Hospital is deferring less urgent cases to cope with a spike in young children with flu symptoms. Pharmac has announced it will fund the flu vaccine for all children under five for next year's flu season. Currently - for children at least - only those under 4 who have been hospitalised for respiratory illnesses are eligible for no-cost jabs. Starship Hospital respiratory paediatrician Dr Cass Byrnes spoke to John Campbell about dealing with the downstream effects.