At present the faith in health authorities regarding safety and efficacy of both types of flu shots is at its lowest ebb. It ™s only a couple of weeks since more than 250 children suffered the ill effects of a seasonal flu shot manifesting as fever, vomiting and seizures and reportedly causing the death of a two year old girl. The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration investigating the issue has tested the batches of vaccines and found no abnormality in them. Further vaccinations of under-fives have been stopped in relation to these side effects and more detailed investigations are ongoing.

According to Maxine Drake from the WA Health Consumers Council this disaster could permanently put off many parents from vaccinating their kids. People will want valid plausible explanations and they will want openness and honesty about what has happened here Nobody will benefit from the Government or the public health experts cajoling and in a way intimidating people back into vaccination it has to be done by reinstating people's confidence through good science and good explanation .I think that the vaccination rates will likely dip until we can get a good explanation and help people to feel confident again, she said.