2023 Flu vaccines now available by appointment
What is the flu?
The flu is caused by the influenza virus. There are many different strains and they can change every year.
Flu is not the same as a common cold. The flu is a serious disease because it can lead to:
- bronchitis
- croup
- pneumonia
- ear infections
- heart and other organ damage
- brain inflammation and brain damage
- death
The flu is easily spread from person to person. Most infections happen in winter.
Symptoms
Flu symptoms include:
- runny nose or sneezing
- cough or sore throat
- fever and chills
- headache
- body aches
- vomiting and diarrhoea (more common in children).
Symptoms usually start about 1 to 3 days after catching the flu and can last for a week or more. Some people can be mildly affected, while others can become seriously ill.
A common cold is not the same as the flu, although some of the symptoms are similar:
- runny nose or sneezing
- cough or sore throat.
Why get immunised against the flu?
The flu is a very contagious infection of the airways. It is especially serious for babies, people over 65 years of age and pregnant women.
Vaccination is a safe and effective way to protect you from serious disease caused by the flu.
By getting vaccinated against the flu, you can also help protect other people, especially people who are too sick or too young to be vaccinated. The more people who are vaccinated in your community, the less likely the disease will spread.
Who should get immunised against the flu?
Anyone who wants to protect themselves against the flu can talk to their doctor about getting immunised.
You should get the flu vaccine every year. This is because the most common strains of the virus that cause influenza change every year. The vaccine also changes every year to match these strains.
How do you get immunised against influenza?
Influenza vaccines available in Australia are given as a needle.
Please call the reception desk to schedule an appointment for your flu vaccine.