MIA pharmacists urge residents for their flu shot with only one week remaining in the NSW government's free vax initiative

John Dodd Pharmacy owner and pharmacist Sean Dodd said the easing of social distancing and other pandemic-related measures had caused an uptick in the region's flu outbreak.

"We've been social distancing for the last two years and now this flu seems to be more widespread," Mr Dodd said.

"Our tolerance for the flu has been drastically reduced because we haven't been hit hard by it. Everyone's feeling it's a bit worse than previously."

Mr Dodd urged all residents to get their flu shots to help ease the strain on a public healthcare system already grappling with rising COVID-19 cases.

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"We don't want to risk having hospitalisations for COVID-19 and influenza as it really takes a toll on the system," he explained. "We want to make sure everyone has as many preventative measures in their arsenal as possible."

Leeton Discount Chemist pharmacist Tejaskumar 'TJ' Patel agreed that residents should roll up their sleeves, particularly young children who he said were being hit hardest this season.

"Younger generations are feeling it and there's a lot of babies and kids that are becoming flu positive," Mr Patel said.

"There's not much there to support younger generations other than Panadol, Nurofen and hydration. If you get the vaccination then there's less chance of severe flu symptoms."

While he applauded the Free Vax initiative and said it should continue every year, Mr Patel also said it hadn't been planned properly and that some pharmacies weren't given enough time to prepare for its rollout, including the Leeton Discount Chemist which hadn't been able to offer free shots.

"They just announced it and then asked us to organise it," Mr Patel said. "They should have extended it for two or three months so all the providers could get everything in place. Not every pharmacy gets the same time."

Mr Patel said the pharmacy still had plenty of flu shots in its fridges and that all Leeton residents were welcome to walk in and get their jabs.

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