Argyle Street General Practice will proactively communicate flu vaccination updates with our patient base.
Should I be vaccinated?
Annual influenza vaccination is recommended for everyone 6 months of age or over.
It important to get the flu shot every year, as the virus changes each year. Influenza is the most common vaccine-preventable disease in Australia. Although it can be a mild disease, it can also cause very serious illness in otherwise healthy people. It can require hospitalisation and can cause death. The more people who are vaccinated, the less likely that the flu will spread in the community.
Having influenza usually means taking a week or so away from work or school, and feeling very unwell. Can you and your family afford to risk influenza?
Who should be vaccinated?
Influenza vaccination is particularly recommended for:
- children aged 6 months to <5 years
- adults aged ≥65 years
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
- people with medical conditions that increase their risk of influenza
- homeless people
- pregnant women
- carers and household contacts of people in high-risk groups
- residents, staff and volunteers in aged care and long-term residential facilities
- commercial poultry and pork industry workers
- people who provide essential community services
- people who are travelling during influenza season
People with the following medical conditions have a higher risk of influenza
- immunocompromising conditions, such as HIV, malignancy, functional or anatomical asplenia, and chronic steroid use
- receiving immuno-oncology therapy
- received a haematopoietic stem cell or solid organ transplant
- cardiac disease
- Down Syndrome
- obesity
- chronic respiratory conditions
- chronic neurologic conditions
- chronic liver disease
- other chronic illnesses that need medical follow-up or hospitalisation
- long-term aspirin therapy in children (aged 6 months to 10 years)
- preterm infants (<37 weeks gestation)
When should I have the Influenza Vaccine?
We recommended having the Vaccine any time after beginning of April 2022.
Strains of Influenza covered by this Vaccine:
- A/Brisbane/02/2018 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus
- A/South Australian/34/2019 (H3n@)-like virus
- B/Washington/02/2019-Like (B/Victoria linneage) virus
- B/Phuket/3073/2013-like (B/Yamagata lineage) virus
How much does it cost?
Those eligible for a free (government-funded) flu shot under the National Immunisation Program include:
- people 65 years and over
- people under 5 years of age
- pregnant women
- people with medical conditions that increase their risk of influenza
- all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People from 6 months of age
- People who are not eligible for a government-funded vaccine may purchase a private vaccine:
The fee for a private flu vaccine is $20.
Important: The only service provided at Flu Vaccine Clinic appointment is influenza immunisation. If you require other services, including prescriptions and blood pressure checks, please book a separate appointment.
Please note: New patients to Argyle Street General Practice will require a New Patient appointment and are not permitted to book into a Flu Vaccine Clinic as their first visit to the surgery.
