The region’s biggest health service is aiming to have 95 per cent of its staff receive the flu vaccination.

SWH has 1599 staff spread across campuses in Warrnambool, Lismore, Macarthur, Portland, Hamilton and Camperdown.

The running tally of staff who have received the vaccination is 1066, representing 66 per cent of the total employee base.

The first of the staff vaccinations were carried out two weeks ago.

Banners tracking the progress of the staff vaccination campaign have been erected at the Warrnambool and Camperdown campuses. 

SWH infection prevention coordinator Jenny Lukeis said 95 per cent is well above the 80 per cent mark set by the state government.

She said the CEOs of the 15 health services in south-west Victoria had come together and agreed to set the benchmark so high.

She said having staff vaccinated meant staff were less likely to pass on the flu to those they are treating.

They would also not be as susceptible to catching the flu from patients who may have it.

There has been no in-patient admissions at SWH for flu sufferers since the start of this flu season.

Ms Lukeis encouraged members of the public who haven’t had the flu vaccination to do so.

She said the peak time for flu is August to September so there is still time for the vaccination to have a major impact.

The message to get the flu vaccination is being heeded by the public, with the federal government announcing on Friday it had run out of back stock, although some clinics and pharmacies may still have existing stocks.

SWH CEO Craig Fraser said the uptake of the flu vaccination has increased by 30 per cent from last year. 

“It’s great news that 30 per cent more of the community are accessing the flu vaccination,” Mr Fraser said.

“That has a real impact on people’s lives by not spreading the flu thorough the community.

“I am also very confident that the government is working hard to get more flu vaccination into the country and into the clinics so that people can be vaccinated.

“But importantly, if people can’t be vaccinated now, they need to keep trying and make sure they get.”