*Please note – storing card details is part of the confirmation process when booking online but if you receive a government funded vaccine, you will not be charged via the stored card*
Influenza is a respiratory illness caused by the influenza virus and is a common cause of hospitalisation and death, particularly in people at greater risk of severe disease.
Influenza is seasonal, and vaccines are updated to cover changes in circulating strains each influenza season. Yearly vaccination is required for continuing immunity.
Annual influenza vaccination is recommended for all people aged 6 months and over and is the single most effective way to protect yourself against influenza (available for free under the National Immunisation Program for eligible groups at the highest risk of influenza and its complications)
Australian studies suggest that in 2025, vaccinated individuals were about 53% less likely to attend general practice or be hospitalised with influenza than unvaccinated people.
People with chronic conditions benefit from influenza vaccination. Influenza vaccination has been associated with lower risk of cardiovascular events and can reduce the risk of influenza-related, worsening chronic lung disease and other chronic conditions such as diabetes.
UPDATE: From 22 May 2026, the NSW Nasal Spray Influenza Vaccination Program has expanded funding for FluMist® to include children aged 2 to 17 years. It will be available in addition to the standard injectable influenza vaccines. Due to supply constraints, it will be offered under a time-limited program from April to June 2026
Infants and children under 5 years of age have a higher risk of hospitalisation and increased morbidity after influenza than older children. In 2025 in NSW less than one quarter (24.4%) of children aged 6 months to under 5 years were vaccinated against influenza.
2025 Influenza activity remained elevated longer than usual, extending well beyond winter and was marked by shifts in the dominant circulating strains. Towards the end of winter, a fast-spreading H3N2 variant emerged and, in August, was a leading cause of respiratory-related deaths in Australia. The CDC report recorded 977 deaths due to influenza in the first nine months of 2025.
FREE NSW ELIGIBILITY CHECKER – The NSW Free Flu Vaccine Checker is a simple way to check if someone is eligible for a funded flu vaccine in NSW. Flu vaccination is recommended for everyone over 6 months of age each year. However, it can be tricky to navigate the criteria for funded flu vaccine, particularly the list of eligible medical risk conditions. This tool guides users through eligibility based on the National Immunisation Program and NSW Health policies.
The influenza vaccines are free under the National Immunisation Program (NIP) for:
Refer to the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) statement on the administration of seasonal influenza vaccines in 2026 for a list of medical conditions that meet eligibility criteria for the funded influenza vaccine.
People who are not eligible for a free influenza vaccine can also access the influenza vaccine privately from a GP or from an NSW pharmacist immuniser (for individuals aged 2 years and over).
Influenza (flu) is a highly contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. There are two main types of human influenza virus: A and B. Within these two types, there are many sub-types and strains. Influenza is more serious than the common cold. Severe cases can result in breathing difficulties due to pneumonia. Other complication from influenza include inflammation of the heart or brain, and sepsis (where the body has an extreme response to an infection). Every year, some people in NSW die from flu-related illness.
People can get influenza at any time throughout the year but is most common in autumn and winter. In most flu seasons there is more than one strain circulating in the community.
People with influenza often experience some or all the following symptoms:
Symptoms of influenza may last for more than a week. Some people only have mild symptoms for a few days, particularly if they have some immunity from a previous infection or vaccination. Other people can get very sick from the influenza and may have complications such as lung infection (pneumonia) or severe breathing difficulties requiring hospitalisation. These complications can occur in anyone but are most likely in those at higher risk of severe illness.
Influenza is mostly spread by droplets made when people with influenza cough or sneeze. It can also be spread by touching a surface or object that virus droplets have landed on from an infected person. People with influenza can spread it to others before they are sick as well as while they are sick.
If you have flu symptoms, or have been diagnosed with influenza, it is important to stay home and avoid contact with others until your symptoms have gone.
The only way to confirm a diagnosis of influenza is to have a PCR (nose and throat swab) test.
Speak with your doctor to find out if you should get a referral to have a PCR test for influenza. There are antiviral treatments that are available for people people at higher risk of severe illness from flu.
While anyone can get influenza, some people are at higher risk of severe illness (more likely to get very sick from influenza, and may be at higher risk of needing hospital care), including:
Yes, people with egg allergy, including anaphylaxis, can be safely vaccinated with egg-based and cell-based influenza vaccines. People with a history of egg allergy (non-anaphylaxis) can receive an age-appropriate full dose of influenza vaccine in any immunisation setting. Persons with a history of anaphylaxis to egg should be vaccinated in medical facilities with staff experienced in recognising and treating anaphylaxis. For more information, visit Egg allergy influenza vaccination – Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA).
Yes. In 2026, all influenza vaccines available on the National Immunisation Program and NSW Health programs will be latex-free.
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