All children from 6 months of age can benefit from flu immunisation.
The flu virus is very easy to catch and can affect anyone - it doesn't matter how fit and healthy your child is.
It can spread through the air by coughing and sneezing as well as by hands, cups and other objects that have been in contact with an infected person's mouth or nose.
Flu immunisation offers the best protection. It strengthens your child's ability to fight the flu.
Regular hand washing, covering coughs and sneezes with tissues or your elbow, and keeping sick people away from healthy people also reduces the risk of spreading the flu.
All children from 6 months of age can benefit from flu immunisation. By immunising your child (or children), especially if they go to preschool, creche or daycare, you can protect them and your family.
Flu immunisation is especially important for children with certain long-term (chronic) health conditions. This is because these children are more likely to develop complications from the flu, such as chest infections. If your child does have a long-term condition, make sure they have their flu immunisation every year before the winter starts.
In 2020, flu immunisation has been available in stages - for different groups of children (and adults) at different times.
From 27 April, all children from 6 months old (and adults) should be able to have flu immunisation.
Make sure to call before going to your family doctor or pharmacy. You can check if they have an appointment and talk about special steps they have in place to protect staff and patients during COVID-19.
Remember, you will need to pay if your child is not eligible for free flu immunisation.
Your child can have their flu immunisation at:
See Medsafe's NZ consumer medicine information Afluria® Quad and Afluria® Quad Junior vaccine (PDF, 80KB) [1].
Your family doctor or practice nurse can tell you whether or not flu immunisation is free for your child. You can also phone the Immunisation Advisory Centre (IMAC) on 0800 466 863. If you do have to pay, it's around $30 but check the exact price with your family doctor or pharmacy.
If you answered 'no' to all these questions, there is likely to be a cost for flu immunisation for your child. Check with your nurse or doctor.
Flu immunisation is also recommended for those sharing a house with children and young people with long-term (chronic) medical conditions. The flu spreads rapidly within households and children are particularly efficient spreaders.
It may not be free for household members - they could ask their employer about free or subsidised flu immunisation as many employers offer this to their employees. Flu immunisation is free for some adults; for example, all those over 65 years of age and those with certain long-term conditions.
Yes. Flu immunisation is recommended and free for pregnant women anytime during their pregnancy. This is because flu is likely to be more severe in pregnancy and affect the mother and her growing baby
Flu immunisation during pregnancy has an excellent safety record. It offers protection against the flu for the mother and her baby, both before and after birth. See the information about pregnancy at the FightFlu website [2].
A Ministry of Health video. See the Ministry of Health website for a transcript [3].
No. Your child cannot get the flu from flu immunisation - there are no live viruses in flu immunisation. Many people confuse colds with the flu. There are many other viruses in the community which flu immunisation will not protect against.
Most people have no reaction to flu immunisation. Anyone can have flu immunisation except those who have had a previous severe allergic reaction to flu immunisation.
Sometimes your child may have one or more of the following responses:
These are usually mild and only last 1 or 2 days.
Immunisation is not 100 percent effective for all people, so some immunised people may still get the flu. If they do, symptoms are usually milder than if they had not had flu immunisation. If you'd like to know more about the effectiveness of flu immunisation, see the information for parents on the FightFlu website [4].
The content on this page was produced in collaboration with IMAC (Immunisation Advisory Centre).
This page last reviewed 28 April 2020.
Email us [18] your feedback
Links
[1] https://www.medsafe.govt.nz/Consumers/CMI/a/AfluriaQuad.pdf
[2] https://www.fightflu.co.nz/pregnancy
[3] http://www.health.govt.nz/your-health/conditions-and-treatments/diseases-and-illnesses/influenza/flu-stories
[4] https://www.fightflu.co.nz/information-parents
[5] https://kidshealth.org.nz/node/1676
[6] https://www.fightflu.co.nz/sites/default/files/2018%20Flu%20Brochure.pdf
[7] https://www.fightflu.co.nz/
[8] https://www.influenza.org.nz/eligibility-criteria
[9] https://www.fightflu.co.nz/faq
[10] https://kidshealth.org.nz/node/2324
[11] https://vimeo.com/212849223
[12] https://kidshealth.org.nz/node/1677
[13] https://kidshealth.org.nz/node/1554
[14] https://www.immune.org.nz/sites/default/files/resources/Written%20Resources/ConcernComparisonDiseaseVaccineImac20201001V01Final.pdf
[15] http://www.immune.org.nz/immunisation/immunisation-overview
[16] https://kidshealth.org.nz/node/1512
[17] https://kidshealth.org.nz/node/1556
[18] https://kidshealth.org.nz/contact?from=http%3A%2F%2Fkidshealth.org.nz%2Fprint%2F373