Possible Side Effects Of Influenza Vaccination
You may experience minor side effects following vaccination. Most reactions are mild and last no more than a couple of days and you will recover without any problems.
Common side effects of influenza vaccines include:
- pain, redness, swelling or hardness where the needle went in
- fever, tiredness, body aches.
Talk to your immunisation provider about possible side effects of the influenza vaccines, or if you or your child have side effects that worry you.
The Consumer Medicine Information available on the Therapeutic Goods Administration website lists the ingredients and side effects of each vaccine.
Learn more about the possible side effects of vaccination
Groups Who Should Especially Get The Vaccine
The flu shot can protect you against the flu. Because of this, it can reduce your chances of being infected with COVID-19 and the flu at the same time. This can lead to serious complications. You should especially receive the flu vaccine this season if youre:
- at high risk of severe COVID-19 related illness
- capable of spreading the flu to those at high risk of severe illness related to COVID-19
The flu vaccine is especially important for the following groups.
When To Get The Flu Shot
Flu season typically runs from late fall to early spring.
Flu shots are now available for all Ontarians. You should get a flu shot as soon as possible because it takes two weeks to take effect.
The National Advisory Committee on Immunization now recommends that COVID-19 vaccines may be given at the same time as the flu vaccine.
Talk to your doctor or pharmacy to learn more.
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Flu Vaccination In 2021
Vaccination against influenza remains important this year. Flu is a highly contagious viral infection that can cause widespread illness and deaths every year. Vaccination is our best defence against flu viruses.
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Vaccination against influenza remains important this year. Flu is a highly contagious viral infection that can cause widespread illness and deaths every year. Vaccination is our best defence against flu viruses.
Behaviours such as increased hand washing and social distancing helped to stop the spread of flu viruses in the community last year. Relaxing social distancing restrictions this year may allow flu viruses to recirculate, even if they were hardly seen in 2020.
What Should You Do Now
Some people may receive an invitation to come forward for a vaccination from their GP surgery or by a national letter. However, you do not have to wait to be invited before booking an appointment at your GP or pharmacy.
If you are eligible for a flu vaccine but cant have the flu vaccine now because you have been advised that the best vaccine for you is not currently available, please follow the advice from your GP surgery or pharmacy and remember to book in an appointment at the next opportunity.
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How To Book Your Appointment
If you’re eligible for a free flu vaccine, you can book an appointment at your GP surgery or a pharmacy that offers it on the NHS.
You may also get an invitation to get the vaccine, but you do not have to wait for this before booking an appointment.
Everyone who is eligible for the free flu vaccine will be able to get it.
GP surgeries and pharmacies get the flu vaccine in batches. If you cannot get an appointment straight away, ask if you can book an appointment for when more vaccines are available.
If you have an appointment for a COVID-19 booster vaccine at a GP surgery or pharmacy, you may also be offered a flu vaccine at the same time.
Do not delay booking your flu vaccine appointment so that you can get both vaccines together. Only some people will be offered both vaccines at the same time.
Flu Vaccine And Coronavirus
Flu vaccination is important because:
- more people are likely to get flu this winter as fewer people will have built up natural immunity to it during the COVID-19 pandemic
- if you get flu and COVID-19 at the same time, research shows you’re more likely to be seriously ill
- getting vaccinated against flu and COVID-19 will provide protection for you and those around you for both these serious illnesses
If you’ve had COVID-19, it’s safe to have the flu vaccine. It will still be effective at helping to prevent flu.
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The Affordable Care Act
If youre under age 65 and dont have health insurance, you may be eligible for low-cost coverage through Healthcare.gov or a state exchange established by the Affordable Care Act .
Under the ACA, routine vaccines are considered preventive care. This means they must be covered at no cost to you when given by a provider who is covered by your insurance. This is also true for most private health plans. Adult children are allowed to stay on their parents health plans until age 26.
You can apply for ACA coverage through the extended August 15 deadline on Healthcare.gov. If your state runs its own exchange, you can check the enrollment deadlines on Healthcare.gov as well.
Monthly premiums on ACA marketplace health plans are lower than usual, too. Due to the pandemic, the federal government has boosted financial assistance for people of all income levels.
Who Is Eligible For A Free Flu Vaccine
Under the National Immunisation Program, free flu vaccines are provided to the following groups who are at higher risk of complications from flu:
- children aged 6 months to less than 5 years
- all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 6 months and over
- people aged 6 months and over with certain medical conditions that increase their chance of severe influenza and its complications
- pregnant women
- people aged 65 years and over.
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Eligibility For Flu Vaccination
You can get a free flu vaccine if you are:
- aged 50 years old and over
- have certain health conditions
- live with someone who is immunocompromised
- are pregnant
- receive a carers allowance or are the main carer of an older or disabled person who may be at risk if you get sick
Children aged 2 and 3 years old on the 31 August 2021 and school-aged child from Reception up to Year 11 are also eligible for the flu vaccine.
You can get the flu vaccine at your GP surgery or a pharmacy, if youre a health or social care worker employed by a:
- registered residential care or nursing home
- registered homecare organisation
Or if you provide health or social care through direct payments or personal health budgets.
Visit NHS.UK to check whether you are eligible.
When Can You Get Your Flu Vaccine
This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: .
Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.
This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/flu-vaccine-supply-when-can-you-get-your-vaccination/when-can-you-get-your-flu-vaccine
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Children Aged 9 And Up
From the age of 9, children that get the flu vaccine receive a single dose of it, even if they have never received a flu vaccine before.
The immune system of a 9 year old child is indeed sufficiently developed to produce enough antibodies to protect them with a single dose of the vaccine.
Children who have certain chronic diseases can get vaccinated free of charge under the Flu Vaccination Program.
How Can I Find Places That Offer Free Or Low
If you dont have insurance, you may be able to receive free or low-cost vaccinations through your state health department or local community health center. State health departments often provide shots for free or on a sliding-scale basis, meaning based on your income.
In Texas, for example, uninsured adults aged 19 and older can receive low-cost vaccines through the Adult Safety Net program. You can find out how to contact your states health department about low-cost vaccines on the CDC website.
Federally funded health centers are another good resource for low-cost adult vaccines, as are clinics run by charitable organizations. You can find a healthcare center near you using the clinic locator tools on the websites of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and the National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics.
You can get vaccinated at pharmacies, but you may have to comparison-shop to find the cheapest vaccine in your area. Retail pharmacies generally carry a wide range of vaccines. But call first to make sure they have the one you want in stock and to ask what it costs.
GoodRx can provide you with a list of pharmacy prices in your area, along with coupons you can use to reduce the cost on select vaccines. Search for the name of the vaccine you need to see whats available.
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Factors That Determine Effectiveness
The vaccines effectiveness depends on the following:
- The age of the person vaccinated
- The state of the persons immune system, meaning the system that allows their body to defend itself against infections
- The degree of kinship between the virus strains circulating and those contained in the vaccine
The vaccine therefore does not offer 100% protection against the flu. The vaccine prevents the flu in about 40 to 60% of healthy people when the strains of viruses it contains correspond to strains circulating.
A strain of the virus included in the vaccine may not match the circulating strains. Indeed, the virus can evolve differently from what was predicted. As a result, the vaccine will be less effective against this strain. Nonetheless, the annual flu vaccine is still recommended, since it protects against the other strains included the vaccine that might be circulating.
For people aged 75 and over and those with chronic illnesses, the vaccine especially help reduce the risks of complications from the flu, hospitalisation and death.
Free Flu Shots Through Clinics Community Organizations And Public Health Departments
Many health departments and free clinics offer low-cost or free flu shots across the U.S. Here are a few examples:
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Most colleges offer free flu shots for their students. Check on your schools website to confirm.
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Military veterans enrolled in health care through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs can get a flu shot at their nearest VA health care facility. This program does not apply to family members of veterans.
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Many county health departments offer free, or discounted, flu vaccinations during flu season. Examples include:
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The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, in partnership with select LA County Libraries, will offer free flu shots through November.
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The San Francisco Health Department offers convenient locations for members of the public to easily access free or low-cost flu vaccines.
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The Houston Health Department offers flu shots to uninsured and underinsured people on a sliding scale that ranges from free to $15.
Cant find a location near you on this list? Watch for announcements on your local news station or in your local newspaper or search online for free flu shots in your area or through your citys health department.
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Flu Vaccine For People With Long
The flu vaccine is offered free on the NHS to anyone with a serious long-term health condition, including:
- a learning disability
- problems with your spleen, for example, sickle cell disease, or if you have had your spleen removed
- a weakened immune system as the result of conditions such as HIV and AIDS, or taking medicines such as steroid tablets or chemotherapy
Talk to your doctor if you have a long-term condition that is not in one of these groups. They should offer you the flu vaccine if they think you’re at risk of serious problems if you get flu.
When To Get The Influenza Vaccine
New season influenza vaccines under the NIP are expected to be available from April. Timing may be different for your local area. Check with your immunisation provider to find out when they will have the vaccine available and when you will be able to book in to have the vaccine.
Annual influenza vaccine should occur anytime from April onwards to be protected for the peak flu season, which is generally June to September. The highest level of protection occurs in the first 3 to 4 months following vaccination.
However, it is never too late to vaccinate since influenza can circulate in the community all year round.
Pregnant women should receive the vaccine at any stage during pregnancy.
Influenza vaccines can be given on the same day with a COVID-19 vaccine.
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Everyone 6 Months And Older Should Get The Flu Shot
The flu shot is your best defence against the flu. The flu shot is recommended for everyone 6 months of age and older.
It can save lives by:
- protecting you, if you’re exposed to the virus
- preventing you from getting very sick
- protecting people close to you:
- because you’re less likely to spread the virus
- who are at higher risk of serious flu complications if they get the flu
The flu shot wont protect you against COVID-19.
Who Can Have The Flu Vaccine
The flu vaccine is given free on the NHS to people who:
- are 50 and over
- have certain health conditions
- are pregnant
- are in long-stay residential care
- receive a carer’s allowance, or are the main carer for an older or disabled person who may be at risk if you get sick
- live with someone who is more likely to get infections
- frontline health or social care workers
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Why Should People Get Vaccinated Against Flu
Influenza is a potentially serious disease that can lead to hospitalization and sometimes even death. Every flu season is different, and flu can affect people differently, but millions of people get flu every year, hundreds of thousands of people are hospitalized and thousands to tens of thousands of people die from flu-related causes every year. Flu can mean a few days of feeling bad and missing work or it can result in more serious illness. Complications of flu can include bacterial pneumonia, ear infections, sinus infections and worsening of chronic medical conditions, such as congestive heart failure, asthma, or diabetes. An annual seasonal flu vaccine is the best way to help protect against flu. Vaccination has been shown to have many benefits including reducing the risk of flu illnesses, hospitalizations and even the risk of flu-related death in children. While some people who get a flu vaccine may still get sick, flu vaccination has been shown in several studies to reduce severity of illness.
Where Can I Learn More
More information on the inactivated influenza vaccine, including possible reactions and who should not get the vaccine, can be found in the HealthLinkBC File: Inactivated Influenza Vaccine.
For answers to frequently asked questions about influenza vaccines, visit our FAQ about influenza vaccines page.
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Getting The Flu Shot Is Quick Easy & Free
- By getting the shot, youre helping reduce the spread of flu-related illnesses, hospitalizations, and even death. And according to the CDC, the flu vaccine doesnt increase the risk of getting COVID-19.
- Babies, children, and older people are most vulnerable, but no one is immune to the flu. Getting the shot is a simple and free way to help protect yourself and your loved ones.
- Immunizations are a covered preventive care benefit. With Marketplace health insurance, your flu shot is free from a provider in your plan’s network.
Children Less Than 9 Years Old
Children less than 9 years old getting the flu vaccine for the first time must receive 2 doses of vaccine. The second dose must be given a month after the first. Parents must therefore plan 2 appointments to get their child a flu vaccination.
Indeed, as most vaccines given in childhood, the first injection of the flu vaccine must be followed by a booster dose. The first dose of the vaccine allows the childs immune system to, in a way, get acquainted with the virus and to fight it, but for only a few weeks. The second dose allows the childs immune system to produce more antibodies to fight the virus on a longer term.
It is therefore important that children less than 9 years old getting the flu vaccine for the first time receive the 2 doses of vaccine. The second dose will allow them to be best protected during the entire flu season.
Only children less than 9 years old who have already received the flu vaccine need to receive a single dose of it.
Children from 6 to 23 months old and those who have certain chronic diseases can get vaccinated free of charge under the Flu Vaccination Program.
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About The Vaccination Program
Under the Flu Vaccination Program, the flu vaccine is offered free of charge to people who are most at risk of developing serious complications from the flu. The program aims to reduce hospitalizations and mortality in people who are most at risk. The aim is not to prevent all cases of flu.
In people who are at risk, the flu can, for example, cause breathing difficulties, pneumonia or even death. Treatment of these complications may require a hospital stay of several days, or even several weeks, and result in a loss of autonomy for some older adults.
Under the program, a vaccination campaign is held annually. The next vaccination campaign starts on .