What is the flu?
What are possible complications of having the flu?
How is the flu spread?
What is the difference between the flu and a bad cold?
Who is at risk of getting the flu?
How can I avoid getting the flu?
Can you get the flu from having the vaccine?
Where can I get the vaccine and will it cost anything?
How effective is the vaccine?
If I had a vaccination last year, do I need another one this year?
Is the vaccine safe?
Will there be any side effects?
Can I have the vaccine if I am pregnant or breast feeding?
When should I get vaccinated?
Is there anyone who should not be vaccinated?
Where can I get more information?
What is the flu?
Influenza (commonly known as the flu) is not a ‘bad cold’. It is a highly contagious infection that can cause serious illness in anyone affected. Complications caused by influenza can be fatal for young children, older adults and other vulnerable people such as those with an existing illness.
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What are possible complications of having the flu?
Around 1,500 Australians die each year from influenza complications such as:
- bronchitis
- heart failure
- inflammation of the brain
- pneumonia
If you are in good health, the flu may only last for around two weeks, but you are likely to be bed ridden for that time.
For those not in good health, the young or more elderly, getting the flu can, however, prove life threatening. So even if you are in good health yourself, getting the flu can have serious consequences for those around you.
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How is the flu spread?
Influenza spreads very easily from person to person by coughs and sneezes. The airborne droplets from a cough or sneeze can last for a long time on door handles, phones and other common surfaces. An infected person is contagious before any symptoms appear so it is impossible to simply avoid contact with infected people in the community.
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What is the difference between the flu and a bad cold?
The flu and common cold are caused by different viruses with symptoms of the flu being much more severe and longer lasting.
Symptoms of the flu
- Dry cough
- Sneezing
- Fever
- Headaches
- Body aches
- Extreme tiredness
Symptoms of a cold
- Sore throat
- Runny nose
- Cough
- Sneezing
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Who is at risk of getting the flu?
Everyone can get the flu, however fit and healthy they are.
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How can I avoid getting the flu?
Keeping fit and healthy is always advisable but it will not stop you from getting the flu. As infected people are contagious before symptoms show, it is almost impossible to avoid exposure to the flu virus in the community. The best way to avoid getting influenza is to get vaccinated each year before the influenza season starts in autumn.
Vaccination is recommended for anyone over 6 months old who would like to reduce the chance of becoming ill with the flu. It is also strongly recommended for people at high risk of complications such as people with an existing serious illness (such as diabetes), people over 65 years of age and Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people. If you are not sure whether you are at high risk, please speak to your doctor or immunisation provider.
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Can you get the flu from having the vaccine?
No. The influenza vaccine can not cause the flu because it does not contain any of the live viruses.
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Where can I get the vaccine and will it cost anything?
A listing of providers is available on the Where can I get a flu shot page.
The vaccination is free for:
- People aged 65 years and over
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people 50 years and over
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people between 15 and 49 with existing health problems
For those not in these categories, the vaccine will cost around $20, less for health care card holders. Please contact your local pharmacy for more information on cost.
Please note – if your doctor does not hold vaccines at the surgery, you should only collect the vaccine from your pharmacy immediately before your appointment. This will help keep the vaccine at the right temperature and at its most effective. Please ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice about this.
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How effective is the vaccine?
No vaccine is 100% effective but evidence shows that the flu vaccine provides a good level (around 70 - 90%) of protection in healthy people.
The vaccine takes up to 14 days to be effective so if you are exposed to someone else with influenza during that time it is possible to still get the illness. This is why it is recommended that you get the vaccination in autumn before the flu season starts.
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If I had a vaccination last year, do I need another one this year?
Yes. The influenza virus can be made up of a number of ‘strains’ and these are constantly changing. Each year the World Health Organisation provides advice on the most prevalent strains that year and this advice is used by the Australian Government to decide which ‘strains’ will be vaccinated against. Also immunity to influenza viruses only lasts a year so it is important to get vaccinated every year.
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Is the vaccine safe?
Yes. Before a vaccine, or any medication, can be used in Australia it must be licensed by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). The TGA use clinical trials to extensively test each vaccine for safety and effectiveness.
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Will there be any side effects?
Like any medication, some people may experience an unexpected reaction to the influenza vaccine. These reactions can include:
- soreness at the injection site
- headache
- drowsiness
If you have any allergies or are concerned about potential side effects, discuss this with your immunisation provider before the vaccination.
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Can I have the vaccine if I am pregnant or breast feeding?
Yes. Pregnancy increases the risk of serious complications from the flu so you (and your partner) should have the flu vaccination if you are planning a pregnancy. If this is not possible, you can still have the vaccination at any time during the pregnancy.
Babies under 6 months of age are too young to be vaccinated but they are also at high risk of complications if they get the flu. It is highly recommended that anyone who is around young babies (for example new parents or grandparents) gets vaccinated.
The vaccine is safe for use by women who are breast feeding.
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When should I get vaccinated?
As the vaccine can take up to 14 days to become effective, the best time to get vaccinated is autumn (March to May) each year so you are protected for the winter (June to August) flu season. Please note that these dates are a guide only, the flu season can run into September and October in some years so you can still benefit greatly by being vaccinated during winter.
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Is there anyone who should not be vaccinated?
- Infants under 6 months of age
- Anyone with a serious allergy to eggs
- Anyone who has had a serious reaction to a previous flu vaccination
Everyone else should be able to receive the vaccination but if you are at all unsure, please discuss this with your doctor before having the vaccination.
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Where can I get more information?
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