An expert says the fight to lift flu vaccination rates isn't a new one

Health Ministry data shows only around 54-percent of DHB staff have had the flu jab.

When it comes to the general public, almost 990-thousand people have had the flu vaccine, including 64-percent of people aged 65 plus.

Immunisation Advisory Centre's Nikki Turner says until somebody gets sick from the flu, they don't believe they're going to get sick.

She says we've always had this problem with vaccines, they're trying to sell the absence of disease - but the question is how you do that without fear, but get people to act.