Flu vaccinations will be available at the practice again this year, with flu clinics set to commence in the first week of May.
The surgery has received a supply of vaccination and patients are welcome to phone the surgery to book an appointment. For most patients the flu vaccination will incur a cost of $20.
Government supported doses of the flu vaccine for patients over 65 and other eligible groups will also be available at the surgery. For patients over 65 we strongly encourage you to receive your flu vaccine here at the surgery instead of your local pharmacy. To ensure you receive the Fluad Quad vaccine type that will provide a better immune response to be more effective, only offered through general practice.
Why should I get the flu vaccine?
The flu can be serious
An average of 2,800 Australians die from influenza and pneumonia every year.
Some people are at greater risk of influenza complications. If you catch flu, apart from feeling dreadful yourself, you risk spreading it to vulnerable people at risk of serious complications. If you come into contact with infants, pregnant women, older people or immune-compromised people while you have flu you are putting them at risk.
Apart from that, it takes an average of two weeks to recover from flu. That’s a long time for work and chores to pile up.
If you get the flu shot:
you can avoid spreading it to at-risk people
you can avoid feeling awful yourself
you can avoid having to put your life on hold.
Should you still get the COVID-19 vaccination if you get the flu shot?
We do encourage patients to still also receive the COVID-19 vaccination, but there must be a waiting period of at least 14 days between flu vaccinations and COVID-19 vaccinations.
You need the flu shot every year
Influenza viruses change frequently therefore the influenza vaccine is usually updated every year (depending on the circulating strains). Having an influenza vaccine every year in Autumn is recommended, particularly for those in the high risk groups. Protection develops about two weeks after being given the injection and lasts up to a year, which makes it important to be vaccinated every year.
You can’t get sick from the flu shot
It is not possible to get the flu from getting the flu shot. The vaccine does not contain any active virus.
The vaccine contains particles of killed viruses, so it cannot cause influenza. Some people can experience side effects from the vaccine, which include pain, redness and swelling at the injection site, low grade temperature, muscle aches and/or drowsiness.
It takes about two weeks for immunity to develop after getting the flu shot, so if you do get flu soon after getting your shot, it’s because your immunity was not yet fully developed.
It’s free for some people
The National Immunisation Program Schedule provides free influenza vaccine for people at greater risk of influenza complications. This includes:
all people aged 65 years and older
pregnant women
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
aged 15 years and older
everyone aged from six months and over with medical conditions that put them at risk of complications from influenza infection.
Some workplaces provide free influenza vaccine to their staff.
Some workplaces also cover the costs or provide free influenza vaccines to their staff.
For more information about the flu vaccine you can head to the Australian Department of Health website https://www.health.gov.au/news/flu-vaccination-in-2021
To arrange an appointment to receive your flu vaccination please contact the surgery (02) 6772 2291