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It is nearly spring. And whereas respiratory infections appear to have handed their peak many individuals are nonetheless getting sick.
So is it nonetheless price getting a flu shot?
The quick reply is “yes.” If you have not had one already this yr, it isn’t too late.
Flu season began early, may finish late
Flu seasons are notoriously unpredictable. Temperature swings, inhabitants immunity, and new viral strains are amongst components influencing how broadly the virus spreads.
Australia’s flu season often runs from April to October, peaking between June and September.
However this yr was completely different. It began early. Laboratory-confirmed circumstances between January and March 2025 have been nearly 60% increased than the identical interval in 2024. Since then, numbers have dipped barely in comparison with final yr.
Nonetheless, we may nonetheless see hundreds extra circumstances earlier than 2025 ends if the season follows final yr’s sample, and extends nicely past October.
This yr, influenza A has been the dominant pressure throughout all age teams. Consider influenza A because the extra widespread, rapidly evolving kind of flu that usually triggers bigger, extra extreme outbreaks. The opposite primary kind, influenza B, evolves extra slowly and often causes milder sickness, though it might probably nonetheless be critical, particularly for kids.
Is it nonetheless price getting vaccinated in August?
Completely. Whereas flu exercise often declines after July, the variety of laboratory-confirmed circumstances of flu exhibits the virus does nonetheless flow into outdoors the everyday flu season.
For those who’ve already had flu this yr, pure an infection presents some safety. However that is typically much less dependable and narrower than vaccination. Pure an infection can not reliably present immunity in older individuals, who’ve a a lot poorer immune response to an infection. For youthful individuals, though their immune system mounts a powerful response, it’s towards the particular influenza pressure that has contaminated them, and offers little safety towards different strains. Because of this vaccination is preferable.
If you’re nonetheless sick with the flu, present suggestions are that you need to wait till you might be recovered earlier than getting a flu shot. This enables your immune system to generate a powerful response to the vaccine.
As soon as vaccinated, it takes about two weeks to develop immunity. Safety is strongest within the first few months.
Pregnant ladies and worldwide vacationers can profit from vaccination at any time of yr.
How nicely do they work?
Effectiveness of flu vaccines varies yr to yr, relying on how nicely the vaccine strains match these going round. This season, the match seems wonderful—a few 98% match (for key strains).
Nonetheless, the vaccine does not fully shield you from getting contaminated (no vaccine does). It is because ranges of immunity and our response to an infection fluctuate from individual to individual.
Flu vaccines are typically 40%–60% efficient towards experiencing a destructive well being final result, for instance, growing the flu and attending a GP follow or being hospitalized.
So vaccination towards the flu is especially vital for high-risk teams corresponding to aged individuals, younger kids, pregnant ladies, and folks with persistent (long-term) situations.
Are they secure?
Information about vaccine security are reassuring. In line with AusVaxSafety, a surveillance system that displays vaccine security, thus far in 2025 greater than 114,000 individuals have reported their expertise after a flu shot, and 83% had no opposed reactions inside three days of their shot.
The most typical have been delicate and short-lived, corresponding to a sore arm, headache or fatigue. Solely 0.2% wanted to see a physician.
You can’t catch the flu from the vaccine itself. It is because it accommodates an inactivated or “killed” model of the virus. This implies it’s not reside and can’t trigger an infection.
Which flu vaccine ought to I get?
All flu vaccines in Australia this yr are quadrivalent, which implies they shield towards 4 strains.
For individuals with egg allergic reactions, there is a newer choice referred to as Flucelvax Quad, which is produced in mammalian cells as an alternative of hen eggs. There are additionally particular, higher-dose formulations for older adults, corresponding to Fluad Quad for these 65 and older, and Fluzone Excessive-Dose Quadrivalent for these 60 and over.
Your well being care supplier will focus on the best choice for you.
Is it free?
Underneath the Nationwide Immunization Program, the flu vaccine is free for:
kids aged six months to underneath 5 years
pregnant ladies
adults aged 65 and over
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals from six months of age
individuals with sure medical situations, corresponding to coronary heart illness or with weakened immunity.
Everybody else will pay about A$20–30 at GPs or pharmacies. In case your GP doesn’t bulk invoice, you may additionally have to pay an out-of-pocket price for the session.
At the moment, Queensland is the one state providing free flu vaccination to all ages over six months. However that program ends on September 30.
So what is the verdict?
The underside line is that it isn’t too late to get vaccinated. At the same time as winter eases, getting a flu shot could make an actual distinction, defending each you and the individuals round you from critical sickness.
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Is it too late to get a flu shot? (2025, August 23)
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