Flu vaccine is still available – currently we have vaccines for anyone aged 65+, children 6 months to 4 years of age, and anyone else who meets the criteria for a free vaccine from NSW Health (see list below).
We do not currently have any private vaccines for sale, but can write a script for you to obtain one from a pharmacy.
Remember that if you are keeping yourself safe from coronavirus you should also be protecting yourself from flu. There has been less influenza circulating currently compared to the same time last year. The influenza season tends to peak in late June, and through July/August. It is still useful to get a vaccine later in the season.
Before your appointment
Once you have booked your appointment, please read the information below about flu vaccines for 2020 and the checklist. If you have concerns about anything on the checklist or if you feel unwell on the day of your appointment, please call and make a time to speak to one of our doctors. Download checklist here
On the day of your appointment
- If possible, only one parent/guardian should accompany a child into the session
- People must not attend the session if they or their child have symptoms of a respiratory infection (such as fever, or a sore throat, or a runny nose, or shortness of breath or a cough) or have returned from overseas in the past 14 days or have been told to self-isolate
- Let us know you have arrived but please wait outside the practice until you receive a call/SMS to ask you to enter
When you enter the practice
- Use hand sanitiser provided at the entrance to the reception or waiting area
- Please follow all instructions given by our staff
After the vaccination
- We will ask you to wait for 10 minutes
- You will receive an SMS the following day from Smartvax to check on any adverse reactions .You can also call the practice to report any concerns.
Eligibility for free influenza vaccine
Free seasonal influenza vaccine is funded by NSW Health for the following groups at higher risk of complications from influenza:
- all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 6 months and over
- all children aged 6 months to less than 5 years of age (including Aboriginal and medically at risk)
- all individuals aged 5 years and over with medical risk conditions, namely:
- cardiac disease, including cyanotic congenital heart disease, coronary artery disease and congestive heart failure
- chronic respiratory conditions, including suppurative lung disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and severe asthma
- other chronic illnesses requiring regular medical follow up or hospitalisation in the previous year, including diabetes mellitus, chronic metabolic diseases, chronic renal failure, and haemoglobinopathies
- chronic neurological conditions that impact on respiratory function, including multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries, and seizure disorders
- impaired immunity, including HIV, malignancy and chronic steroid use
- pregnant women (influenza vaccine can be given at any stage of pregnancy)
- people aged 65 years and over
Is the influenza vaccine safe?
As with any medications, vaccines can have side effects. The most common side effects following influenza vaccination include mild fever, headache, muscle and joint pain and injection site reactions. These can occur in the first three days after vaccination and can generally be managed safely at home.
Serious side effects are rare. In Australia, we have a system which monitors the safety of vaccines including seasonal influenza vaccines. This system uses a short SMS survey to ask patients, or parents of children, in a large number of general practices around Australia, if they experienced any health issues in the first few days after vaccination. In 2019, 93.9% of people that participated in the survey reported no adverse events following immunisation. Of the 6.1% of people that reported an adverse event the majority were generally mild and short lived.