Free Flu Vaccinations bookings are now open for 2023
Free flu vaccinations are available to staff, immediate family members of staff living in the same household and all students.
Pharmacy Vaccination
Book your free flu vaccination directly through a participating pharmacy.
BUPA - AVS also offer Pharmacy vouchers to download and book your appointment for anyone over 16 years old
- Pharmacy Voucher (16 years and over) via BUPA- AVS
Please remember to take your Medicare Card with you to your appointment
We highly recommend that you discuss your COVID Booster vaccination with your pharmacist who will provide advice best suited to you.
Frequently asked questions
Each year the World Health Organization (WHO) puts forward its recommendations for the composition of influenza virus for use in the Southern Hemisphere's influenza season. On the 23rd September 2022,the Australian Influenza Vaccine Committee (AIVC) confirmed their recommendation inline with the WHO recommendations.
In 2023 there will be Egg & Cell based quadrivalent vaccines available in Australia.
The Egg-based quadrivalent influenza vaccine components for the Australian 2023 influenza season will contain the following:
- an A/Sydney/5/2021 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus;
- an A/Darwin/9/2021 (H3N2)-like virus;
- a B/Austria/1359417/2021 (B/Victoria lineage)-like virus; and
- a B/Phuket/3073/2013 (B/Yamagata lineage)-like virus.
You will form antibodies to fight the flu around 3- 14 days after receiving your immunisation. Your antibodies will peak at around 4 - 6 weeks - this is when you are most protected. Your antibodies will gradually fall but you will remain protected for one flu season.
Participants who receive a flu vaccination from one of the On-Campus Clinics will receive an email the following day with a copy of their certificate.
For participants who have supplied their medicare number for on campus clinics, verification of their flu vaccinations will be supplied by the provider to medicare and sent to be uploaded to the Australian Immunisation Register.
If you require a certificate from a pharmacy visit, please ask the pharmacist for a copy of a certificate. Some pharmacies may notify medicare if you provide your medicare number.
Please note:
Highly recommended that all students undertaking work integrated learning and professional experience placement book an on campus vaccination.
As an immediate family member of Staff, you can book a free vaccination at either an on campus clinic (you must be 18yrs and over) or at a participating pharmacy (most pharmacies offer vaccinations from 10yrs+). You will need to enter the staff members ID number when booking the appointment.
You can book an appointment at any location to receive your flu vaccination. If you feel it is more convenient you can book a flu appointment at a participating pharmacy.
The field is not mandatory to enter your Medicare card so you can still book your flu vaccination and leave this field blank. You may wish to ask the pharmacist for a copy of your flu vaccination record. If you are having your flu vaccination on campus, a certificate will be emailed to you.
International staff and students who do not have Medicare cards will still have their vaccinations uploaded to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR). To have access to My Health Record and have visibility of the vaccination history, international students and staff will be required to apply for an Individual Healthcare Identifier (IHI). More information here.
The Australian Government’s National Immunisation Program (NIP) provides a free flu vaccine to eligible people through their General Practitioner (GP), including:
- People aged 65 and older
- Pregnant women
- All Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 6 months or over
- People with medical conditions that put them at greater risk of severe flu.
- Children 6 months to less than 5 years old.
If you are in one of these groups, it is recommended that you speak with your General Practitioner (GP) about a flu vaccination.
Children > 5 years and < 10 years:
For children aged 5 years and less than 10 years, it is recommended that you speak with your General Practitioner (GP) about a flu vaccination for this age group.
Aged 65 and over:
If you are ≥ 65 years, it is recommended that you receive the recommended Trivalent Influenza vaccine (TIV). This vaccine can only be provided by your GP and is not available in the University Flu Program.