HealthInfo Waitaha Canterbury
Flu (influenza) vaccinations
Rongoā āraimate rewharewha
Most people will benefit from having a flu vaccination. The flu is a serious illness, especially for tamariki (children) and people with certain medical conditions.
The flu vaccination is available to anyone over the age of 6 months.
It is free for high-risk groups, which are:
- people aged 65 years and over
- people aged 6 months and over who have a long-term medical condition like diabetes, asthma or a heart condition
- pregnant people
- tamariki aged 4 years and under who have been in hospital with breathing problems, or have a history of significant breathing problems
- people with mental health conditions, including schizophrenia, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder or schizoaffective disorder
- people who are currently being treated by specialists or are in hospital for mental health and addiction problems.
Free vaccinations for these high-risk groups are usually available from April through to 31 December each year.
If you are not eligible for a free flu vaccination, you will still benefit from a vaccination. It is available at a small cost.
The vaccine is different each flu season, depending to the type of flu that is in the community. So, you need to have a vaccination every year. It takes two weeks for the vaccine to have its full effect.
The flu vaccine reduces your chance of getting the flu and of becoming seriously unwell with the flu. But some vaccinated people still get the flu.
You can have a flu vaccination through your general practice team and at many pharmacies. Some workplaces provide vaccinations for their staff.
You can also book your flu vaccination either on its own or at the same time as a COVID-19 vaccine via Book a vaccine.
Side effects
You cannot catch the flu from the flu vaccine because it does not contain any live virus.
Side effects are usually mild and only last a few days. They include redness, pain and swelling around where you had the injection. You may also feel slightly unwell with fever, muscle aches, a headache and tiredness.
Allergic reactions to flu vaccination are rare and treatable. You will be asked to wait after your vaccination to be sure you do not have a reaction.
Important
If you have had a severe allergic reaction to a flu vaccination in the past, discuss this with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before being vaccinated.
Further information
For more information about flu vaccinations, talk to your healthcare provider or see Flu (influenza) vaccine.
Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed July 2021. Last updated April 2024.
Sources
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Review key: HIIMM-47872
