SWINE flu sufferer Zac Forster wouldn't wish the virus he caught late last year on anybody.
The 23-year-old from Manunda was one of the hundreds of Cairns residents who contracted the virus last year.
During the first wave of the pandemic last year, 41 Queenslanders died from swine flu including seven people in Cairns.
In Zac’s case, H1N1 left him bed-ridden for two weeks.
"I was still feeling the effects for some time," Zac said. "I had aches and pains all over and kept having hot and cold flushes."
Only 15 per cent of Far Northern residents have been vaccinated against swine flu and doctors fear the region may be ill-equipped for future outbreaks. Another wave is expected by the end of March.
Zac, who is now vaccinated against the H1N1 human swine influenza, said it was important for everyone to be vaccinated against the virus.
"The pain I went through having this virus, it’s not worth not being vaccinated," he said.
Cairns Base Hospital deputy director of medicine John McBride said Far North Queenslanders could protect themselves, their family and their
local community by taking advantage of free immunisation clinics at state high schools.
"It is vital that children and adolescents are immunised to help protect themselves and the broader community, but everyone in the family above the age of six months should be vaccinated," Prof McBride said.
The first clinics were held on the weekend and then progressively across the entire state until the end of term one.
All vaccinations will be provided free and administered by appropriately trained health care professionals.
Further information on the school immunisation clinics and the disease generally is available by contacting 13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84) or visiting the Queensland Health website.
