Common questions about the flu vaccine

Getting a vaccine may not stop you getting flu, but you are less likely to get very sick. 

It takes up to 2 weeks after your flu vaccination for your body's immune system to protect you against flu.

Image credit: Healthify He Puna Waiora
(Information sourced from Influenza vaccine(external link), Immunisation Advisory Centre, NZ)

You need to get the flu vaccine every year because each year it's made to match the different strains of flu virus likely to be in Aotearoa New Zealand. Some strains are the same for more than 1 year, but it's still recommended that you have the vaccine each year, as the protection it provides gets less over time.

Flu vaccines are usually available from autumn. Get your vaccination before winter when the flu is around the most. 

These flu vaccines are available in 2024:

• Influvac Tetra: For all ages from 6 months. Funded for those who are eligible
• Afluria Quad: For all ages from 3 years (there's a cost involved as it's not funded)
• Fluad Quad: For adults aged 65 and over (there's a cost involved as it's not funded)
• Flucelvax Quad: For all ages from 6 months (there's a cost involved as it's not funded)
• Fluquadri: For all ages from 6 months old (there's a cost involved as it's not funded). 

Although people with conditions like asthma and diabetes are most at risk of complications from the flu, fit and healthy adults, children and infants can still become seriously ill and even die from the flu. Also, healthy people can spread the flu to others around them. So it's recommended that even fit and healthy people get the flu vaccine. 

Yes, it's strongly recommended that you get the flu vaccine if you're pregnant. It can be given at any stage during your pregnancy.

Pregnant women are more likely to get severe complications from the flu than non-pregnant women, and having the flu can be dangerous for their unborn baby too. Protection from the vaccine is passed from the mother in pregnancy to protect her newborn.

The flu vaccine has an excellent safety record during pregnancy and for unborn babies. Read more about pregnancy and immunisation.

Yes, you can safely have the vaccine if you're breastfeeding. Getting the vaccine can help protect you from the flu and from passing it on to your baby. Breastfeeding may also give protection to the baby. However, babies have more protection if you get vaccinated during pregnancy.

Yes, you can still have the vaccine if you have a mild cold. If you only have a head cold with a runny nose or sniffles without a high fever, it's okay to have the vaccination. However, if you are very unwell with a fever, wait until you're better. If in doubt, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

The vaccine can't cause the flu because it doesn't contain any live viruses. The vaccine stimulates an immune response which can include flu-like symptoms (eg, fever, headache and tiredness). This creates immunity but doesn't cause the illness. Most people tolerate the vaccine well.

Any after-effects from the vaccine are usually mild and last 1 to 2 days. They may include: 

• soreness, aching and/or redness at the injection site
• tiredness, feeling a little unwell or having a mild fever.

These are signs that your immune system is working. Contact your doctor if you have a more severe reaction to the flu vaccination or if you're worried. 

Yes, the flu is the most common vaccine-preventable disease with international travellers.

• Flu outbreaks have been linked to travellers.
• Travelling with large numbers of people in the same area (eg, cruise ships or events with large gatherings) are high risk.
• In tropical countries, the flu can occur throughout the year, so vaccination is worthwhile regardless of the season.
• In the northern hemisphere, the flu is more common between the months of December and March.

Yes, all the brands of the flu vaccine for the 2024 flu season can be given to people with an egg allergy.

Four vaccines (Influvac Tetra, Fluad Quad, Fluquadri and Afluria Quad) are egg-based vaccines but they can be given to people who are allergic to eggs.

Studies have shown that flu vaccines containing 1 microgram or less of ovalbumin (protein in egg white) don't trigger anaphylaxis in sensitive people. The residual ovalbumin in 1 dose of the flu vaccines listed above is below this limit.

Flucelvax Quad doesn't contain ovalbumin, because eggs aren't used in the manufacturing process.

Yes, the flu vaccine can be given to people taking anticoagulants, including aspirin, dabigatran (Pradaxa®), enoxaparin (Clexane®), heparin, ticagrelor (Brilinta®), rivaroxaban (Xarelto®) and warfarin. After vaccination, you can apply pressure for 10 minutes over the injection site (without rubbing) to reduce the risk of bruising.

The following brands of the flu vaccine are latex-free and safe to use if you have a latex allergy:

• Fluad Quad.
• Fluquadri.
• Afluria Quad.

Yes, all the brands of the flu vaccine for the 2024 flu season can be given to people with a sulfonamide (sulphur) allergy.

Flu (influenza vaccine)(external link) Immunise Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora

Video: Questions about the flu?

(Immunisation Advisory Centre, NZ, 2017)

Video: Fiona Lai provides information about the flu vaccine in Mandarin

Here are videos from healthcare providers providing information about the flu vaccine. The video below is in Mandarin and it's also available in Cantonese(external link), Hindi(external link) and Korean(external link).

(Ministry of Health, NZ, 2022)

References

1. Flu 2024 Essential information for health professionals(external link) The Immunisation Advisory Centre and Te Whatu Ora Health NZ, 2024