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2025 Flu Vaccinations | Te rongoā āraimate rewharewha

Flu vaccinations are available from 1st April 2025

For unfunded patients the cost is $40.00

Everyone from the age of 6 months is recommended to receive an annual influenza vaccine to reduce the spread of the virus, and for direct protection against severe illness.
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Why is influenza vaccination so important?

Influenza vaccination is recommended annually for two important reasons:

  • Protection from the previous vaccination lessens over time, and
  • The circulating influenza viruses can change, and the strains in the vaccine change each year in response to the circulating virus pattern.

The influenza vaccination is funded for the following who are deemed at increased risk of complications: 
  • Pregnant people
  • People aged 65 years and over
  • People aged 6 months to under 65 years with eligible conditions
  • Children 4 years of age and under who have been hospitalised for respiratory illness or have a history of significant respiratory illness
  • People aged 6 months to under 65 years with serious mental health and addiction conditions


More information is available on Health NZ’s website


What the flu vaccine protects you from

The flu (influenza) virus changes often. This means the vaccine has to be tweaked each year to match the new strains of the disease. Getting a flu vaccine every year means you have the best protection.

Flu symptoms come on suddenly and can include fever, chills, muscle aches, runny nose, cough, shortness of breath, and stomach upsets. It can keep you in bed for a week or more.

Flu is usually spread by coughing and sneezing and is most common during winter.

The flu can make you very sick, even if you are usually fit and healthy. Your tamariki can get very unwell with it too. You could also spread it to vulnerable people, including older people or pregnant people.

Eligible Conditions

Influenza Vaccine is available each year for patients who meet the following criteria, as set by Pharmac:

  1. all people 65 years of age and over; or

  2. people under 65 years of age who:

    1. have any of the following cardiovascular diseases:

      1. ischaemic heart disease, or

      2. congestive heart failure, or

      3. rheumatic heart disease, or

      4. congenital heart disease, or

      5. cerebo-vascular disease; or

    2. have either of the following chronic respiratory diseases:

      1. asthma, if on a regular preventative therapy, or

      2. other chronic respiratory disease with impaired lung function; or

    3. have diabetes; or

    4. have chronic renal disease; or

    5. have any cancer, excluding basal and squamous skin cancers if not invasive; or

    6. have any of the following other conditions:

      1. autoimmune disease, or

      2. immune suppression or immune deficiency, or

      3. HIV, or

      4. transplant recipients, or

      5. neuromuscular and CNS diseases/disorders, or

      6. haemoglobinopathies, or

      7. are children on long term aspirin, or

      8. have a cochlear implant, or

      9. errors of metabolism at risk of major metabolic decompensation, or

      10. pre and post splenectomy, or

      11. Down syndrome, or

    7. are pregnant; or

  3. children 4 years of age and under who have been hospitalised for respiratory illness or have a history of significant respiratory illness; or

  4. people under 65 years of age who:

    1. have any of the following serious mental health conditions:

      1. schizophrenia, or

      2. major depressive disorder, or

      3. bipolar disorder, or

      4. schizoaffective disorder, or

    2. are currently accessing secondary or tertiary mental health and addiction services; or

Unless meeting the criteria set out above, the following conditions are excluded from funding:

    1. asthma not requiring regular preventative therapy,

    2. hypertension and/or dyslipidaemia without evidence of end-organ disease.

We are a small inner-city practice located next to Plimmer Steps in the heart of Wellington.  We provide a friendly, safe environment with a focus on professional, holistic, patient-centred care.

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