“I don’t get sick, so I don’t need a flu shot”
If you’re fit and healthy, you probably don’t think about getting a flu shot every year. You may be worried about getting the flu from the flu shot. This is a myth – the flu shot contains an inactivated virus that cannot infect you with the flu. But if you do come down with the flu, it can be serious.
The problem is, your flu can easily be passed on to someone who can’t fight off the flu as well as you can. For vulnerable people – like the elderly, young, pregnant mums or people with existing health conditions – the flu can be serious, even life threatening.
There are four things we can all do to protect ourselves, stop the spread of flu, and look after those most at risk:
In 2017, more than
Australians ended up in hospital with flu.
Getting your flu shot is easy! Talk to your doctor or pharmacist today.
- See your doctor: access a free or low cost vaccine through your doctor. If you qualify for a free vaccine, ask your doctor if you also need a pneumococcal vaccine.
- Visit your pharmacy: access a low cost vaccine through some pharmacies.
Flu shots are free for:
- People over 65 – specially formulated flu shot for over 65s
- Children aged between 6 months and 5 years
- People with chronic conditions
- Pregnant women
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
