There are currently 4282 Queenslanders with the flu, with 150 people in hospital and 10 people in the ICU.
Palaszczuk said recorded flu numbers were doubling every week.
"Our cases are escalating and doubling quite quickly," Palaszczuk said.
"What we're particularly concerned about is the effect on young people."
Influenza A, currently accounting for 98 per cent of flu cases is particularly harmful for young people in the 10-39 age rage.
It also impacts the elderly and those with chronic illness.
"The symptoms are very similar to COVID," Palaszcuk said.
The premier said Queenslanders may be experiencing "vaccine fatigue" in the midst of the pandemic, but that vaccinating against flu is crucial to keep hospital admissions down.
People can be infected with both the flu and COVID-19, increasing the severity of both illnesses.
Palaszcuk said the jab has been made free so it is accessible to all families.
Health Minister Yvette D'Ath said the current flu case numbers were comparable to the 2017 flu season, which saw large numbers of Queenslanders hospitalised.
"We are already at the hospital admission rate that we were at the end of 2017 which means this is escalating very quickly," D'Ath said.
"We could end up with 400 to 500 hospital admissions and that won't be the peak.
"We need you to go out and get vaccinated right now," she said.
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMimwFodHRwczovL3d3dy45bmV3cy5jb20uYXUvbmF0aW9uYWwvZmx1LXZhY2NpbmUtdG8tYmUtZnJlZS1mb3ItcXVlZW5zbGFuZGVycy1mcm9tLXRvbW9ycm93LWFtaWQtZmVhci1mb3ItaG9zcGl0YWwtc3lzdGVtL2UwMzgzMTQ4LTk0ZmYtNGU2ZC1iZmRkLTgxMWI1ZTUwNzU4NtIBAA?oc=5
2022-05-23 05:11:35Z
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