Adults are advised to get a flu vaccination EACH year to protect themselves and to reduce the spread of flu.
- It's best to get the flu vaccine as soon as you can.
- Winter is the time when you are most likely to come into contact with the flu and it takes about 2 weeks for the flu vaccination to be most effective.
- Adults can get flu immunisations at many pharmacies.
From Tuesday 2 April, the 2024 flu vaccine is free for:
- pregnant people
- everyone aged 65 years and older
- adults with underlying health conditions including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, kidney disease, and serious asthma or respiratory disease
- adults with an autoimmune disease, a cochlear implant or Down syndrome
- anyone with mental illness such as schizophrenia or those currently accessing mental health services.
Read more about the free flu vaccine eligibility criteria – Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora(external link) and the flu vaccine for children.
Also see common questions about the flu vaccine.
You can get the flu vaccine together with the COVID-19 vaccine
All adults 30 years or older can receive the COVID-19 booster at the same time as the flu vaccine.
Young adults 16 years or over who are severely immunocompromised, or at a high risk of severe illness from COVID-19, can receive the COVID-19 booster at the same time as the flu vaccine.