Each year the same question comes up: should you get your flu jab at a GP or a pharmacy? Both can give you a safe, effective flu vaccine, and in Victoria trained pharmacists can vaccinate anyone aged 5 and over. The better choice depends on your age, your health and whether there is anything else you want to sort out at the same visit. This guide explains who each option suits, what it is likely to cost, and why the flu vaccine is free for every patient at Harpley Doctors in Werribee.
Key Takeaways
- A flu vaccine is recommended every year for everyone aged 6 months and over.
- Victorian pharmacist immunisers can give the flu vaccine to people aged 5 years and over.
- Children under 5 need to be vaccinated by a provider other than a pharmacist, such as a GP.
- An egg allergy, even with a history of anaphylaxis, does not rule out a flu vaccine.
- The flu vaccine is free for every patient at Harpley Doctors.
Who should have a flu vaccine
The Australian Government’s flu vaccine guidance recommends a flu vaccine every year for everyone aged 6 months and over. It is free under the National Immunisation Program for:
- children aged 6 months to under 5 years
- pregnant women at any stage of pregnancy
- people aged 65 and over
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 6 months and over
- people aged 6 months and over with certain medical conditions, such as heart disease, chronic lung or kidney disease, or a weakened immune system
New-season vaccines usually arrive from April, ahead of the peak flu season, which generally runs from June to September. Protection is highest in the first 3 to 4 months after the jab. Flu vaccines cannot give you the flu, and our guide to how the flu shot works explains why.
What a pharmacist can do in Victoria
Under Victoria’s pharmacist vaccination guidelines, pharmacist immunisers may give the flu vaccine to people aged 5 years and over. They may not vaccinate children aged 4 and under, give the vaccine for travel purposes, or vaccinate people with a contraindication listed in the Australian Immunisation Handbook.
On cost, the Victorian Department of Health explains that pharmacist immunisers at pharmacies registered for the national pharmacy vaccination program are funded to give free National Immunisation Program vaccines to eligible people aged 5 and over, with no out-of-pocket cost. If you are not eligible for a funded vaccine, a pharmacist may charge for the vaccine plus an administration fee.
So if you are 5 or older, have no history of a serious reaction to a flu vaccine, and the jab is the only thing you need, a pharmacy is a reasonable option.
The flu vaccine is free for every patient at Harpley Doctors. Book a time that suits you, or walk in during opening hours.
When a GP visit is the better fit
A GP appointment is worth choosing when the flu jab is one part of a bigger conversation, or when a pharmacist cannot vaccinate you.
Young children
Children aged 6 months to under 5 years cannot be vaccinated by a pharmacist in Victoria, and they are in a free vaccine group. Children under 2 having their first flu vaccine, and children under 9 with a medical risk condition having their first, need two doses given a month apart. A GP can check this and any other childhood immunisations that are due.
Pregnancy
The flu vaccine is recommended and free at any stage of pregnancy. Seeing a GP during your antenatal care means you can plan the other pregnancy vaccines at the same time: whooping cough between 20 and 32 weeks and the maternal RSV vaccine from 28 to 36 weeks.
People aged 65 and over
The Australian Immunisation Handbook recommends an adjuvanted or high-dose flu vaccine for this age group in preference to a standard-dose vaccine. Several other free vaccines are also due from 65, including the annual COVID-19 dose, the pneumococcal vaccine and the shingles vaccine, so a GP visit is a chance to review them together.
Ongoing health conditions and allergies
If you live with a condition such as diabetes, heart disease or asthma, a GP visit lets you combine the vaccine with a review of your chronic condition management. People with an egg allergy, including a history of anaphylaxis, can safely have a flu vaccine. The only absolute reasons not to have one are anaphylaxis after a previous flu vaccine or after one of its ingredients, so talk to a GP if that applies to you.
The cost of a flu jab at a GP or pharmacy
At a pharmacy, the jab is free if you are eligible for a funded vaccine and the pharmacy takes part in the national program; otherwise you pay for the vaccine and its administration. At Harpley Doctors, the flu vaccine is free for every patient, whether or not you are in a funded group. All consultations are bulk billed.
After your flu jab
Whether you have your flu jab at a GP or a pharmacy, stay for at least 15 minutes after the injection and do not drive during that time. Victorian pharmacist immunisers must report flu vaccines to the Australian Immunisation Register, so your record stays complete whichever option you choose.
To see one of our GPs, book online through HealthEngine or call (03) 8731 1330. Walk-ins are welcome. We are open Monday to Friday 8 am to 8 pm, weekends 9 am to 5 pm and public holidays 10 am to 3 pm. If you are new to the clinic, bring photo ID and your Medicare card.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my 3-year-old have a flu jab at a pharmacy?
Not in Victoria. Pharmacist immunisers can only give the flu vaccine to people aged 5 and over. Children aged 6 months to under 5 years can be vaccinated by a GP, and the vaccine is free for them under the National Immunisation Program.
Is the flu vaccine really free at Harpley Doctors?
Yes. The flu vaccine is free for every patient at Harpley Doctors, not only for people in the government-funded groups. All consultations are bulk billed.
Can I have a flu vaccine if I am allergic to eggs?
Yes. Egg-based flu vaccines contain only tiny traces of egg protein, and people with an egg allergy, including anaphylaxis, can safely be vaccinated. You should not have the vaccine if you have had anaphylaxis after a previous flu vaccine or one of its ingredients.
Can I have a flu jab at a pharmacy while pregnant?
Pregnancy is not one of the exclusions in the Victorian pharmacist guidelines, and the flu vaccine is free at any stage of pregnancy. Seeing your GP also lets you plan the whooping cough and RSV vaccines at the same visit.
Ready for this year’s flu vaccine? Book online through HealthEngine or call Harpley Doctors in Werribee.