The flu (influenza) can make you very sick and is not the same as a common cold. Children can also become very unwell with the flu.
If you get the flu, you could also spread it to vulnerable people including pregnant women, babies (especially those under 6 months who are
too young for the vaccine), elderly people, and those with health conditions.
The flu virus changes often which means that the vaccine must be tweaked each year to match the new strains.
This is why, for your best protection, it is so important to get a flu vaccine every year.
There are 2 fully funded (FREE) flu vaccines this year:
- Afluria Quad Junior: for infants and toddlers ages 6- 35 months
- Afluria Quad: for patients aged 3 years and older who meet the following eligibility criteria:
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- People aged 3 to 12 years
- People aged 65 years or older – (Refer below for a 2nd non-funded option)
- Pregnant women (any trimester)
- Māori and Pacific people aged 55 years and over
- People who have a long-term medical condition eg diabetes, asthma, or a heart condition
- People with serious mental health or addiction needs
OneHealth can administer the Afluria Quad flu vaccine, to non-eligible people, for a fee of $35.00.
People aged 65 years or older
There is an additional flu vaccine available, for your age group, which provides more effective protection against
the flu, compared to the standard influenza vaccine.
Therefore, your options are as follows:
- AFLURIA Quad which is the FUNDED vaccine and remains FREE.
- The alternative is FLUAD Quad which is not funded and a $50.00 fee will be incurred to receive this vaccine.
If you would like to receive FLUAD QUAD, please inform reception at time of booking your vaccine.
FLUAD Quad Patient information:
FLUAD® Quad is made by CSL Seqirus, the same company that makes the standard flu vaccine.
However, FLUAD® Quad contains MF59® Adjuvant, which has been designed to help your body create more antibodies to help fight influenza.
In people aged 65 years and over, immunisation with FLUAD Quad offers:
- Less chance of contracting flu compared with the standard flu vaccine*†
- Lower risk of being hospitalised with flu-related complications compared with the standard flu vaccine*†
- Longer protection Antibody levels are higher at 12 months post vaccination, compared with the standard flu vaccine*†
Any questions? Talk to your GP, nurse, or pharmacist about FLUAD Quad or go to fluad.co.nz
* Observational studies.
† FLUAD trivalent formulation compared with standard trivalent dose influenza vaccine.