How Does the Flu Shot Work in Australia?

Every year, more Australians ask how the flu shot works and whether it is worth having. The flu shot in Australia is recommended for everyone aged six months and over, every year, and it is free for people in higher-risk groups. At Harpley Doctors, the flu vaccine is free for every patient. This guide explains how the vaccine protects you, who it is free for, when to have it and what to expect. It draws on the Australian Immunisation Handbook and the Department of Health.

How the flu shot works

A flu vaccine shows your immune system what the flu virus looks like, so it can respond faster if you are exposed. The Handbook notes that all vaccines in use this season are trivalent, meaning they cover two influenza A strains and one influenza B strain. Because the circulating strains change, the vaccine is updated every year, which is why a yearly dose matters.

Flu vaccines do not cause the flu, and you cannot catch the flu from the vaccine. Common side effects, such as a sore arm or feeling tired, are usually mild and short-lived.

Who the flu shot in Australia is free for

Under the National Immunisation Program, the vaccine is free for:

• children aged six months to under five years
• pregnant women, at any stage of pregnancy
• people aged 65 and over
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged six months and over
• people aged six months and over with certain medical conditions, such as heart, lung or kidney disease, diabetes or a weakened immune system

Outside these groups the vaccine is not funded by the program, but at Harpley Doctors the flu vaccine is free for every patient. Our flu vaccine page explains how it works at Harpley Doctors.

When to have your flu shot

You can be vaccinated any time from April. Flu season usually peaks between June and September, although flu can occur all year, and protection is highest in the first three to four months. Children under two having a flu vaccine for the first time need two doses, a month apart.

Flu shots in pregnancy and for older adults

A flu vaccine can be given at any stage of pregnancy, and it is free. Your GP can include it in your antenatal care, alongside the whooping cough vaccine. For people aged 65 and over, the flu shot can be given at the same visit as the pneumococcal vaccine or a COVID-19 vaccine.

Where to get your flu shot

GPs and many pharmacies give flu vaccines; our post on GP or pharmacy for your flu jab compares the two. At a GP, the same visit can cover other vaccines that are due, and check-ups for children’s health or long-term conditions. After any vaccine, you stay for at least 15 minutes.

If you do catch a winter illness, our guides on a winter cough and managing COVID-19 explain when to see a GP. The flu shot in Australia remains the simplest way to lower your chance of flu each winter. See Seasonal Vaccines and Immunisation for the other vaccines we give.

Frequently Asked Questions