Doctors and some pharmacies are now offering the 2019 flu vaccine.
People need to get a vaccination annually because flu viruses change. A new flu vaccine is prepared each year to best protect against the strains of the coming flu season.
Free flu shots are available from GPs for:
- pregnant women
- children from six months to five years old
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from 6 months of age
- people with serious health conditions (including severe asthma, diabetes, cancer, immune disorders, kidney, heart, lung or liver disease)
- people 65 years and over.
Influenza, or flu, is a highly contagious respiratory illness caused by viruses.
Flu is spread by droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes or touches surfaces such as door handles and lift buttons.
Symptoms of the flu may last for at least a week and can include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle aches, joint pains, headaches, fatigue, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea (more common in children than adults).
So far this year, more than 9600 influenza cases have been confirmed in NSW across all age groups.
Learn more about the flu and how to protect yourself