Flu shots for adults and kids

About the flu

Influenza (flu), is a highly infectious disease caused by the Influenza virus. Symptoms can be mild to severe.

The most common symptoms include:

• high fever and chills
• cough, sore throat and stuffy nose
• muscle aches, joint pains, headache and tiredness
• nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.

There are 2 important types of Influenza virus – types A and B.

You can catch the flu at any time of year but it is more common in winter.

Getting a flu vaccine every year can help to protect you and your family against influenza.

Who should get the flu vaccine?

The vaccine is prepared each year to match the strains predicted for the coming influenza season.

You will be protected for about 2 weeks after receiving the vaccine. It lasts up to a year.

The government recommends that everyone over 6 months of age should receive a flu shot every year.

Remember, even healthy people can catch influenza.

Cost for the flu vaccine

The flu vaccine costs $20.

The flu vaccine is free for:

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 6 months and over
• adults aged 65 years and over
• children aged 6 months to 5 years old
• pregnant women at any stage of pregnancy
• people aged 6 months or over who have medical conditions that mean they have a higher risk of getting serious illness*.

*These conditions include:

• cardiac disease

• chronic respiratory conditions

• chronic neurological conditions

• immunocompromising conditions

• diabetes and other metabolic disorders

• renal disease

• haematological disorders

• children aged 6 months to 10 years on long-term aspirin therapy

What will happen on the day of my appointment?

Please arrive at least 10 minutes before your appointment to complete a registration form if you haven’t been to our clinic before.

You will see one of our doctors for a consultation before receiving your flu vaccination. The consultation will be bulk-billed if you see the GP only for a flu vaccine.