Needle-phobic children will be able to access free flu vaccinations in the form of a nasal spray to overcome low vaccination rates.
Parents in Queensland and NSW will be able to access a nasal-spray vaccination ahead of the next flu season in a bid to protect children from illness and increase herd immunity.
Children can suffer severe illness from influenza, and can also act as "superspreaders" who infect siblings, parents and grandparents.
But vaccination rates are typically lower for children than adults, with hopes that an easy to administer nasal spray can boost immunisations.
"Needles and children can be a bit of a difficult relationship," NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said on Tuesday.
Non-injectable nasal spray vaccines are used overseas but less so in Australia.
Free vaccinations are available for children aged between six months and five years under the commonwealth's national immunisation program, but the nasal mist is not currently included.
The states will fund their own rollout of the vaccinations, with NSW allocating about $4.4 million and Queensland $5 million.
The nasal vaccination will be available for free for children between two and five, with potential for private market availability for older children.
National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance director Kristine Macartney said influenza can be a very serious virus.
"It actually is most common in healthy children, and it's a big shock to parents every time their child is admitted to hospital with influenza, and in some cases, lands up in the intensive care unit critically ill," she told reporters.
Mr Park said the vast majority of some 600 children between two and five who were admitted to the state's hospitals with influenza in the most recent flu season had not been vaccinated.
While vaccinations do not completely prevent illness, they can help prevent more serious complications, he said.
Vaccination coverage for children under the age of five is below 20 per cent in Queensland, and below 25 per cent in NSW.
Queensland Health Minister Tim Nicholls said the nasal spray could help overcome needle anxiety to boost uptake.
"Six in 10 parents experience distress when thinking about vaccinating their child against influenza, and more than a quarter of young kids experience intense needle phobia," Mr Nicholls said.
"Securing this product for Queenslanders will provide an alternative option to help parents overcome the uptake barrier with their young children."
