Is the flu jab available in Australia this year?

They have just had a bad flu season in the northern hemisphere, so pressure to get vaccinated against flu is on. But this year, a few things are different when it comes to getting your flu jab in Australia.

How old do you have to be to get the flu jab?

So it is now meant to be used only in children over nine years and adults. But since 2010, there has occasionally been “inadvertent and incorrect” use of this vaccine in young children with “subsequent untoward reactions”.

When to book an appointment for the flu jab?

The official vaccination season will now not begin until April 20 and people are being urged to book an appointment with their GP as soon as possible after this date.

Are there any side effects from last year’s flu shot?

I am 67 years old and had the quadruple strength shot as last year’s. I had no side effects last year but I took the flu shot on 25/4/21 and I had bad cramps and loose bowels the next day, and still experiencing tummy cramps, gas and bloating every time I eat.

What makes the flu and covid-19 different?

Influenza (Flu) and COVID-19 are both contagious respiratory illnesses, but they are caused by different viruses. COVID-19 is caused by infection with a new coronavirus (called SARS-CoV-2) and flu is caused by infection with influenza viruses.

Why do people get sick during the flu season?

One reason is that some people can become ill from other respiratory viruses besides flu such as rhinoviruses, which are associated with the common cold, cause symptoms similar to flu, and also spread and cause illness during the flu season. The flu vaccine only protects against influenza, not other illnesses.

I am 67 years old and had the quadruple strength shot as last year’s. I had no side effects last year but I took the flu shot on 25/4/21 and I had bad cramps and loose bowels the next day, and still experiencing tummy cramps, gas and bloating every time I eat.

What was the worst flu season in US history?

In 2017, Australia had its worst outbreak in 20 years, and the 2017-2018 flu season in the United States (which comes about six months later during winter in the Northern Hemisphere), was one of the worst in modern American memory, with an estimated 79,000 dead.