2020 seasonal influenza vaccine is now available at the clinic.
It is recommended that everyone receives the flu shot to protect against the main strains of influenza.
flu vaccines for people aged 65 years and over
Special vaccines are available to provide better protection for people aged 65 years and over.
If you are aged 65 years or over, speak to your doctor or vaccination provider to find out more about receiving one of the new vaccines. These vaccines cannot be given to people aged under 65 years.
Flu vaccines for children
All flu vaccines are age-specific. Let your doctor know the age of your child before they get their flu vaccine. This will make sure they receive the correct dose and brand.
If your child is aged six months to less than five years and has never had the flu vaccine before, experts recommend they have two doses in the first year they receive the vaccine. They should have the doses at least four weeks apart. After that only one flu vaccine dose is needed each year.
And as usual the following groups are at higher risk and are highly advised to have the vaccine ,therefore eligible for the free government supplied seasonal influenza vaccine :
- People who are 65 years of age and over or children under 5 years.
- Pregnant women at any time during their pregnancy.
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 15 years and older
- Residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities
- Any person 6 months of age and older with a chronic condition predisposing to severe influenza illness that requires regular medical follow-up or hospitalisation, including children aged 6 months to 10 years undergoing long-term aspirin therapy, and people with:
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- cardiac disease
- chronic respiratory conditions
- Down syndrome
- obesity
- immunocompromising conditions
- renal disease
- diabetes and other metabolic disorders
- chronic neurological conditions
- haematological disorders.
You need to consult one of our doctors first to make sure that you do not have any contraindications to have the flu vaccine..