Influenza is caused by a virus that can infect your nose, throat and sometimes your lungs. Flu (influenza) is most common, from around June to September, in most parts of Australia. It spreads easily through coughing, sneezing and close contact. Influenza symptoms include fever, headache, tiredness and muscle aches. These can start suddenly and may last for a week or more.

If you are elderly, you may also experience confusion; children may be irritable and get an upset stomach.

Influenza may occasionally cause severe complications such as pneumonia and making your existing medical conditions worse leading to hospitalisation and even death.

The influenza virus is always changing so the influenza vaccine changes too. To protect yourself from influenza, you should get vaccinated every year.

The 2020 flu vaccine is recommended for everyone aged 6 months and over. The influenza vaccine does not contain live virus, so you can’t get influenza from the vaccine. The influenza vaccine does not contain live virus, so you can’t get influenza from the vaccine.

It is FREE if you’re at higher-risk (including all children aged 6 months to less than 5 years, all pregnant women, anyone aged 65 years+, all Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders aged 6 months+ as well as for people with other health conditions).

Flu vaccine 2020 release date - please check our face book page for updates.