The Flu Season is coming – are you ready?
What is Influenza?
- Commonly known as Flu.
- Highly contagious respiratory illness that spreads easily, mainly through sneezing, coughing, and touching contaminated surfaces.
- Influenza virus changes frequently, where one different strain dominates each year.
- It is a common trigger for CROUP, asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia and myocarditis (infection of heart muscles).
- More than 3000 deaths and 13,500 hospitalisations are due to influenza each year among Australians aged over 50 years.
- It is especially dangerous for elderly people, pregnant women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, and very young children, as well as people with underlying medical conditions.
Who should have the vaccination?
- Yearly influenza vaccination is recommended for any person aged 6 months and over unless contraindicated.
You are eligible for Commonwealth Funded quadrivalent vaccination (free) if you are:
- Aged 6 months and over with medical risk conditions
- Pregnant
- Aged 65 years and over
- Aboriginal aged 6 months to < 5 years
- Aboriginal aged 15 years and over
Safety of the Flu vaccination
- There is no live virus in the flu shot, therefore you won’t get influenza from the vaccination.
- The flu shot is safe for pregnant women at all stages of their pregnancy.
- You can still safely receive the flu vaccination from a doctor even if you have egg allergy.
Call Providence Medical and Dental – Belmont today to make an appointment for your flu shot.