Book an appointment
Book an appointment

How Often Should You Get a Flu Shot?

should you get flu shot every year (1)

Influenza is a highly contagious virus that changes from year to year. The best protection against serious illness, hospitalisation, and complications is the annual flu shot. While many Australians understand the importance of being vaccinated, questions about how often to get the flu shot, and who needs it most remain common.

This guide explains why a flu vaccine is recommended each year, when to have it, and who should prioritise it.

Why You Need a Flu Shot Every Year

Influenza viruses constantly mutate. Each flu season, new strains emerge, and the vaccine is reformulated to provide protection against the most likely circulating types. Even if you had a flu shot last year, you’ll still need one this year.

There are two key reasons for annual flu vaccination:

  • Vaccine formulation changes: Each year, the vaccine is updated to match the most common strains.
  • Immunity: Protection from the vaccine declines after about 3–4 months.

According to the Australian Department of Health, getting vaccinated every year is the most effective way to reduce your risk of flu-related complications especially for vulnerable individuals like children, the elderly, and those with chronic health issues.

When Should You Get Your Flu Shot?

The ideal time to receive your flu vaccine in Australia is between March and May, before winter begins.

Flu season usually peaks between June and September, and it takes about two weeks after vaccination for your body to develop full immunity. Vaccinating in the early part of the year ensures you’re protected when the virus is at its peak.

If you miss this window, it’s still worth getting vaccinated later in the season especially if influenza is still circulating in your area.

Who Should Get the Flu Vaccine Annually?

The flu vaccine is recommended for everyone aged 6 months and over, but it’s especially important for those most at risk of severe disease, including:

  • Adults aged 65 years and over
  • Children aged 6 months to under 5 years
  • Pregnant women at any stage of pregnancy
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
  • People with chronic health conditions such as: asthma or lung disease, diabetes, heart disease, has weakened immune systems

Other groups who should get vaccinated include:

  • Healthcare workers and aged care staff
  • Carers and household contacts of high-risk individuals
  • People in high-exposure jobs (e.g., public transport, schools, childcare)

Under the National Immunisation Program (NIP), many of these groups are eligible for a free flu vaccine.

Do Children Need a Flu Shot Every Year?

Yes. Annual flu vaccination is recommended for all children aged 6 months and over.

For children under 9 receiving the flu shot for the first time, two doses are needed, spaced at least four weeks apart. In subsequent years, only one dose is required.

Children are more vulnerable to flu complications like ear infections, pneumonia, and, in rare cases, encephalitis. Annual vaccination helps prevent serious illness.

Are There Special Flu Vaccines for Older Adults?

Yes. People aged 65 years and over are offered an enhanced flu vaccine under the NIP. This version includes an adjuvant, which helps trigger a stronger immune response important as the immune system naturally weakens with age.

The enhanced vaccine has been shown to improve protection against hospitalisation and complications in older adults.

Can You Get the Flu Shot With Other Vaccines?

Yes. The flu vaccine can be safely given at the same time as other vaccines, including:

  • COVID-19 boosters
  • Pneumococcal vaccine
  • Shingles vaccine

According to ATAGI, co-administration is safe and supported by clinical evidence. It also reduces the need for multiple appointments.

Are There Any Side Effects From the Flu Vaccine?

Most people tolerate the flu vaccine well. Side effects are usually mild and short-lived, and may include:

  • Redness, swelling, or tenderness at the injection site
  • Fatigue or tiredness
  • Low-grade fever
  • Mild muscle aches or headache

These symptoms usually settle within 24 to 48 hours. They’re a normal part of your body’s immune response, not a sign of infection.

Serious reactions are uncommon, but like with any vaccine or medication, there’s a small risk of an allergic reaction. If you’ve had any past reactions to vaccines, it’s important to let your GP or nurse know beforehand.

Is the Flu Vaccine Safe for Breastfeeding Mothers?

Absolutely. Breastfeeding women can safely receive the flu vaccine. Moreover, they pass protective antibodies to their infants through breast milk, offering additional protection to babies who are too young to be vaccinated themselves.

Is It Too Late to Get a Flu Shot If the Season Has Already Started?

No, it’s not too late. While early vaccination is ideal, getting the flu shot later in the season can still provide valuable protection, especially if the flu virus is still circulating in your community.

How Long Does the Flu Vaccine Provide Protection?

The flu vaccine offers optimal protection for about 3 to 4 months, with immunity beginning approximately two weeks after vaccination. This duration underscores the importance of annual vaccination, especially as flu viruses evolve each season.

Can the Flu Shot Cause Flu-Like Symptoms?

Yes, some people experience mild flu-like symptoms such as a low-grade fever, muscle aches, headache, or fatigue after receiving the vaccine. These are not caused by the flu virus itself—the vaccine does not contain live virus—but are a normal immune response and usually settle within a day or two.

How Long Does It Take for the Flu Vaccine to Work?

It takes about two weeks for your body to develop full protection after the flu shot. That’s why it’s recommended to get vaccinated early in the flu season.

Speak With Your GP About the Flu Vaccine

If you’re unsure whether you’re due for a flu shot or have questions about timing and eligibility, your GP can offer personalised advice based on your age, health conditions, and risk factors.

At Sirona Women’s Health, our GPs provide flu vaccination guidance and care for women of all ages, including during pregnancy. We take the time to understand your individual needs and help you stay protected throughout flu season.

Annual flu vaccination is one of the simplest ways to protect yourself and those around you. By staying up to date, you’re not only reducing your risk of serious illness—you’re also supporting the health of your family and wider community.

Book your flu shot today with Sirona Women’s Health in Brisbane.

Back to Blog

Take the first step towards better health

At Sirona Women’s Health, we’re dedicated to providing you with the personalised, high-quality care you deserve. Our experienced all-female clinic, serving Annerley and the Greater Brisbane area, is ready to listen, support, and empower you through every stage of your healthcare journey.

Book an appointment
What we do

INTRODUCTION

This privacy policy is to provide information to you, our patient, on how your personal information (which includes your health information) is collected and used within our practice, and the circumstances in which we may share it with third parties. Our obligations are set under the Privacy Act 1988.

WHAT IS PRIVACY?

As an individual, the Privacy Act grants you enhanced authority over the management of your personal data. Under the Privacy Act, you have the right to:

  • Understand the purpose behind the collection of your personal data, its intended use, and who will have access to it.
  • Opt not to disclose your identity or to use an alias in specific situations.
  • Request access to your personal data, including health information.
  • Cease receiving unsolicited direct marketing communications.
  • Request correction of any inaccuracies in your personal information.
  • Lodge a complaint against an organization or agency covered by the Privacy Act if you believe they have mishandled your personal information.

WHY AND WHEN YOUR CONSENT IS NECESSARY

By becoming a patient at our practice, you grant consent for our general practitioners and practice personnel to access and utilize your personal data to deliver optimal healthcare services. Access to your personal information will be restricted to staff members who require it for your care. Should there arise a necessity to utilize your information for purposes beyond healthcare provision, we will obtain your explicit consent beforehand.

HOW CAN YOU LODGE A PRIVACY RELATED COMPLAINT AND HOW THE COMPLAINT WILL BE HANDLED AT OUR PRACTICE

We treat privacy-related complaints and concerns with utmost seriousness. We encourage you to communicate any privacy issues you may have in written form. Subsequently, we will endeavor to address and resolve them in accordance with our established resolution procedure. Complaints can be forwarded to our Practice Manager delivered to 1/720 Ipswich Road, Annerley 4103. You may also wish to have a confidential chat with our Practice Manager beforehand. Our Practice Manager can be reached by phoning our practice during business hours – Monday – Friday. All complaints are likely to be responded to and actioned within 2 business days.

WHY DO WE COLLECT, USE, HOLD AND SHARE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION

To deliver healthcare services effectively, our practice requires the collection of your personal information. Our primary objective in collecting, utilizing, storing, and managing your personal data is to oversee your healthcare needs. Additionally, we employ this information for associated business activities, including financial transactions, practice evaluations, accreditation processes, and operational functions such as staff training.

DEALING WITH OUT PRACTICE ANONYMOUSLY

You possess the right to engage with us anonymously or under a pseudonym, unless such actions are deemed impractical, or unless legal obligations or authorizations necessitate interaction solely with identified individuals.

WHAT TYPES OF INFORMATION DO WE COLLECT?

Your doctor relies on information regarding your past and present health to deliver quality care. Data pertaining to your health, medical history, or anticipated medical treatments is termed “personal health information” if it enables someone to identify you.

Our practice adheres to the Guidelines on Privacy in the Private Health Sector outlined by the Office of the Federal Privacy Commissioner. This commitment ensures the confidentiality and security of your personal health information.

We maintain a documented policy outlining the handling of your personal health information, which is accessible to all patients for review.

The information we collect encompasses:

  • Names, date of birth, addresses, and contact details
  • Medical details including medical history, medications, allergies, adverse events, immunizations, social history, family history, and risk factors
  • Medicare number (where available) for identification and claiming purposes
  • Healthcare identifiers
  • Health fund details

HOW WE COLLECT YOUR PERSONAL HEALTH INFORMATION

Our practice may gather your personal information through various channels:

  • During your initial appointment, our staff will collect your personal and demographic details as part of the registration process.
  • Throughout the provision of medical services, we may gather additional personal information.
  • Your personal information may also be obtained when you interact with us via our website, email, SMS, telephone calls, online appointments, or social media.
  • In certain situations, personal information may be sourced from other avenues, as it may not always be feasible or reasonable to collect it directly from you. This may involve information obtained from your guardian or responsible person, other healthcare providers involved in your care (such as specialists, allied health professionals, hospitals, community health services, pathology, and diagnostic imaging services), as well as pertinent information from your health fund, Medicare, or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs when necessary.

PRIVACY AND ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS

Our practice frequently receives communications via email, however in order to adhere to Australian Privacy Principals and ensure a more efficient and reliable service for our patients, we have transitioned away from email as our primary form of communication.

It’s important to note that our practice also does not engage in communication with patients via social media. We have implemented a social media policy to ensure adherence to professional standards. If you would like a copy of this policy, please inform our reception staff.

Our patients are still able to submit non-urgent enquiries via email or via our website however depending on the nature of the enquiry, should expect a 2 day turn around. For more urgent matters, we encourage our patients to phone our Practice during business hours – Monday-Friday.

Privacy is a priority for us, even on our website. Here’s how we ensure your privacy is respected:

  • Secure Connection: Our website is encrypted to protect your data when you interact with us online.
  • Limited Data Collection: We only collect necessary personal information on our website, and we’re transparent about what we collect and why.
  • Data Protection Measures: We employ robust security measures to safeguard any information you provide on our website from unauthorized access or misuse.
  • Third-Party Policies: If our website uses third-party services (like analytics or social media plugins), we ensure they also prioritize user privacy.
  • Cookie Policy: We inform you about our use of cookies and give you options to manage your preferences.
  • Clear Communication: We’re upfront about our privacy practices and provide easy-to-understand

WHERE WE STORE AND PROTECT PERSONAL HEALTH INFORMATION

This practice utilizes electronic records for efficient management of patient information. Any physical documents such as specialist letters, X-rays, CT scans, and pathology results received via post are securely stored away from public view until they are scanned into our computer system. Once the necessary actions have been taken, these documents are securely destroyed following appropriate protocols.

To ensure the security of personal health information, our practice implements various measures including screen savers, passwords, anti-viral software, firewalls, regular data backups, and maintenance routines.

Your doctor is committed to maintaining the integrity of your medical record, ensuring that it is:

  • Accurate, comprehensive, well-organized, and legible
  • Up-to-date
  • Sufficiently informative for another healthcare provider to deliver care
  • Free of offensive or irrelevant remarks
  • Includes a summary of your care
  • Can be used, with your permission, to remind you of follow-up appointments, checkups, and reviews

Your doctor will only collect information that is pertinent to your medical care. If you have any concerns or questions regarding the information being requested, don’t hesitate to ask your doctor for clarification.

WHEN, WHY AND WITH WHOM DO WE SHARE YOUR PERSONAL HEALTH INFORMATION

We occasionally share your personal information in the following circumstances:

  • With third parties collaborating with our practice for business purposes, such as accreditation agencies or information technology providers. These third parties are obligated to adhere to the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) and our privacy policy.
  • With other healthcare providers involved in your care.
  • When required or authorized by law, such as in response to court subpoenas.
  • In situations where it is necessary to mitigate or prevent a serious threat to a patient’s life, health, or safety, or to public health or safety, or when obtaining the patient’s consent is impractical.
  • To aid in locating a missing person or to establish, exercise, or defend a legal claim.
  • For confidential dispute resolution processes.
  • When statutory requirements mandate sharing certain personal information, such as mandatory notification of certain diseases.
  • As part of providing medical services, including through electronic transfer of prescriptions and My Health Record.
  • When booking appointments online via Hotdoc.

Access to your information is restricted to individuals who require it for legitimate purposes. Outside of providing medical services or as outlined in this policy, our practice will not share personal information with any third party without your written consent.

We will not disclose your personal information to entities outside Australia (except under exceptional circumstances permitted by law) without your written consent. Our practice will refrain from using your personal information for direct marketing of our goods or services without your explicit consent. If you do consent, you retain the right to opt out of direct marketing at any time by notifying our practice in writing.

Your personal information may be utilized by our practice to enhance the quality of services we offer through research and analysis of patient data. We may provide de-identified data to other organizations to improve population health outcomes. This information is securely stored within Australia, and patients cannot be individually identified. If you prefer not to have your information included, please inform our reception staff.

HOW YOU CAN ACCESS AND CORRECT YOUR PERSONAL HEALTH INFORMATION

You have the right to access the information contained in your medical record. We believe that sharing information fosters good communication between you and your doctor, promoting optimal healthcare.

Upon request, your doctor can provide you with an accurate and up-to-date summary of your care, such as when you are relocating and transitioning to a new healthcare provider. Feel free to ask your doctor for a summary of your care for any reason. If you request access to your full medical record or a summary, your doctor may need to redact any information provided by others on a confidential basis.

Your doctor must also consider the potential risk of physical or mental harm to you or others that could arise from disclosing your health information. While there are circumstances where access may be denied, you will be informed of the reasons if this occurs. In most cases, your doctor will gladly provide a thorough explanation of the health summary or medical record provided. Please note that a small but reasonable administration fee may be charged for such access, as well as the time spent with your doctor.

If you discover that the information in your record is inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated, our practice will take reasonable steps to rectify it. We may periodically ask you to confirm that your personal information held by our practice is correct and current. Additionally, you can request corrections or updates to your information by submitting written requests to our practice via email.

We do not recommend erasing information from your record, as this may lead to incomplete documentation.

POLICY REVIEW STATEMENT

This privacy policy undergoes regular review to ensure alignment with any changes that may arise. A copy of the most recent version of the privacy policy will always be accessible at the reception desk for your reference.

‎
Please write your details as they appear on your Medicare Card.
Birth Sex
I identify as
Pronouns
Marital Status
Are you of Aboriginal or Torres Straight Islander decent?
Sirona Women’s Health acknowledge the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the lands on which we work and pay our respects to Indigenous Elders past, present and emerging.
Preferred contact method
I hold a current and valid
Colour
Do you consent to Sirona Women’s Health sending you SMS reminders for your upcoming appointments/clinical reminders?
I authorise Sirona Women’s Health to contact my NOK/ Emergency contact if needed.
Do you consent to Sirona Women’s Health contacting you via email?
I acknowledge that I have read and comprehend the practice privacy brochure (copy found on our website).
‎