Influenza Information
The flu is the most common vaccine preventable illness in Australia.
The flu is a highly contagious viral infection. It may be mild in some, but it can cause very serious illness, hospitalisation and even death in otherwise healthy people. It is especially serious for babies, people aged over 65 years, people with underlying medical conditions and pregnant women.
Vaccination is a safe and effective way to help protect you from the flu. By getting vaccinated, you also help protect those that are too ill or too young to be vaccinated and help slow the spread of the disease.
It is important to get the flu vaccine every year. The virus strains that cause the flu change each year and the vaccine changes each year to match these strains. At Chemist Warehouse we will be using the 2023 quadrivalent vaccine from mid-March for the flu vaccination service.
Who should get a flu shot?
Annual vaccination against the flu is recommended for everyone over 6 months of age.
Who is eligible for a free flu shot?
The Australian Government’s National Immunisation Program provides a free flu vaccine to eligible people, including:
People aged 65 and older
Pregnant women
All Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 6 months or over
People aged 6 months and older with medical conditions that put them at risk of complications from the flu
Children 6mo to less than 5 years old.
Vaccines covered by the National Immunisation Program (NIP) and specific State/Territory immunisation programs are free for eligible people,
