Influenza (flu) vaccinations
Annual influenza vaccination is your best protection against influenza. Each year the influenza vaccine changes to match the strains of flu expected to be circulating that year, so it is important to be vaccinated every year.
Influenza is a highly contagious viral illness that can affect people of all ages. It is spread from person to person by virus-containing respiratory droplets produced during coughing or sneezing.
Find out more about:
- who can have the flu vaccination
- where you can get vaccinated
- flu vaccines for children aged 6 months to under 5 years
- getting vaccinated when you are pregnant
- flu vaccines for people aged 65 years and older
- getting vaccinated if you have an underlying medical condition.
Healthy people and the flu
Most people who get the flu are unwell for a few days and then recover. However, influenza infection can be very serious in some people causing hospitalisation and even death.
It is not possible to know who will be severely affected by influenza infection. Every year, previously healthy people are hospitalised and die from the virus. The influenza vaccine reduces your risk of getting the flu and its potentially serious complications including death.
Even if you don’t get severely unwell with the flu, the flu can be an inconvenience causing time off work and visits to the doctor or even hospital. Influenza vaccination also helps to protect those around you including your family, friends and colleagues.
Flu vaccines don't cause the flu
The influenza vaccine cannot give you influenza. The vaccine does not contain live influenza virus.
Some people mistakenly believe that the vaccine causes the flu because:
- An immune response is triggered following vaccination which can produce mild flu-like symptoms, like fever or headache, for a few days after the vaccine.
- It takes 2 weeks following vaccination to produce protection. Some people may develop the flu during this period because they have come into contact with the influenza virus before or soon after vaccination, but before developing protection.
- The common cold or other respiratory viruses may be confused with the flu. The flu vaccine only protects you against the influenza virus.
- The flu vaccine is not 100% effective so you can still get the flu from someone who is infected, however your infection will usually be milder.
How the flu vaccine works
The effectiveness of the vaccine depends on how closely the vaccine matches the circulating strains of influenza virus and the person’s immune response to the vaccine.
But this will change from year to year. Although it isn’t perfect, the influenza vaccine is the best protection available. Vaccination can make your illness milder if you do get the flu.
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More information
For more information about influenza vaccination, contact the Health Protection Service, Immunisation Information Line during business hours on 02 5124 9800.