Clare Mullen | Executive Director
Winter is coming here!
While I never watched a full episode of Game of Thrones, I’m familiar with the ominous warning that “winter is coming…”
If you’re involved in the health system as a consumer or community representative, then you’ll know that health services in the south of the state are battening down the hatches to prepare for the increase in people who get sick at this time of year.
But we know from our discussions with WA community members that people don’t want to get sick if they can help it. Getting sick during winter isn’t inevitable and we know that every time you get a group of health consumers in a room, people sharing their knowledge is powerful.
So while we couldn’t easily get almost 200 people together in a room, we’ve gathered views from 200 of you about how you stay well and if you’re stepping up your efforts as winter approaches. Here’s what you told us…
First up – you care about your health
Everyone does something to protect their health usually. With the most selected options being:
- Wash hands
- Get vaccinated
- Eat as healthily as possible
- Stay in touch with family and friends
- Get some regular exercise
Getting regular check ups with your GP and sleeping well scored highly too.
Next – most of us are doing something extra to prep to avoid winter bugs
More than three quarters of respondents think about taking extra measures – including:
- Getting vaccinated
- Maintaining strong hygiene like hand-washing and using masks
- Avoiding higher-risk environments during peak season
- Staying home and keeping your distancewhen unwell
- Building overall health and immunity
- Paying attention to air quality and ventilation
Most of our respondents plan to get vaccinated if they’re eligible
More than 80% of respondents plan to get vaccinated and know where to go to get it done, with about 7% of respondents unsure. Among the people who say they’re not planning to get vaccinated, about 5 people express concern about the risks of vaccination, with another 7 people commenting on how they’ve experienced cold/flu-like illnesses after previous vaccinations.
We can all play our part in reaching the community target which gives us all the best chance of staying safe. At the time of writing we’re already over half way towards these targets – but there’s still a way to go. You can check out progress at the WA Health site here: https://access.health.wa.gov.au/immunisation
Finally, we want clear, accessible public health information in places where we already go
Many people who responded to our survey shared it would be helpful if getting vaccinated was as easy as possible. So it’s great to see the WA Government rolling out flu vax clinics across community settings including at the footy – check out this link to see the upcoming dates: https://www.wa.gov.au/government/media-statements/Cook%20Labor%20Government/-More-WA-footy-fans-to-roll-up-their-sleeves-as-flu-clinics-extended-20260521
People also said they want strong public health messaging and transparency – if you haven’t already, check out the WA Health website which has links to your nearest place to get vaccinated, as well as more information about what to expect.
Survey information
We shared a link to a MS Forms survey between 06/03/26 and 09/06/26. The link was shared with HCCWA networks via email and social media. It was also shared on Reddit in r/Perth. There were 191 respondents. Over three quarters of respondents belong to a group that is known to experience health inequities. Almost a quarter of respondents were between 35-44, and over one tenth of respondents were 75 or over.