An irate GP has taken aim at high profile anti-vax NRL players, warning their celebrity power is turning patients off having their flu vaccinations and risking a surge in both flu and COVID-19 cases.

GP Dr Katrina McLean, chair of General Practice Gold Coast, says doctors are spending more time debunking vaccination myths circulating on social media since two Gold Coast Titans players were stood down for refusing to be vaccinated against the flu.

Bryce Cartwright and Brian Kelly are banned from training until they agree to be vaccinated or receive an exemption – which is looking increasingly unlikely after Queensland’s Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said exemptions would only be given on medical grounds.

But their celebrity status means their personal views on vaccination have gained considerable media attention, with an accompanying spike in misinformation putting the community at risk during the pandemic, Dr McLean told the Queensland Times.