Seasonal flu vaccine 2018
For the latest information on the current seasonal influenza vaccine, visit the Seasonal influenza vaccine page.
Eligibility for the free flu vaccine
In Victoria, the following people are eligible to receive a free seasonal influenza vaccine:
- all children aged six months to less than five years (Victorian state funded program)
- pregnant women
- people aged 65 years and over
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 15 years and over
- people with medical conditions predisposing them to severe influenza.
Victorian state funded free vaccination for under 5s
All children aged six months to less than five years old are able to receive a free flu vaccination.
All children under nine years receiving their flu vaccination for the first time require two doses of vaccine, spaced by a minimum of one month.
What vaccine to administer
The below table provides advice on the 2018 influenza vaccines available and what vaccines to administer to patients based on their age group. Always check you have the correct vaccine for the person’s age before administering.
All children aged under nine years receiving their flu vaccination for the first time require two doses of vaccine, spaced by a minimum of one month.
More information can be found on the Melbourne Vaccine Education Centre website.
| Age |
Dose |
Vaccine Brand |
Number of doses in the 1st year the vaccine is received |
Number of doses in subsequent years |
| <6 months |
Not recommended (poor immune response)
|
6 months to <3 years
|
0.25ml |
FluQuadri Junior
|
2 (4-weeks apart) |
1 |
3 years to <9 years
|
0.5ml
|
Fluarix Tetra or FluQuadri
|
2 (4-weeks apart) |
1 |
9 years to <18 years
|
0.5ml
|
Fluarix Tetra or FluQuadri
|
1 |
1 |
18 years to <65 years
|
0.5ml
|
FluQuadri or Fluarix Tetra or Afluria Quad*
|
1 |
1 |
≥65 years#
|
0.5ml
|
Fluzone High-dose (TIV) or Fluad (TIV)#
|
1 |
1 |
* Please note that Seqirus Afluria Quad is NOT registered for use in children aged <18 years.
#TIV formulations are preferentially recommended for adults ≥65 years of age. Quadravalent influenza vaccines (FluQuadri/ Fluarix Tetra/ Afluria Quad*/ Influvac Tetra) are licenced but not preferred for those ≥65 years.
Confused by the 2018 government-supplied influenza vaccines?
Information for immunisation providers about the 2018 influenza vaccines and their age recommendations for use.
Timing of vaccination
Everyone should get an annual flu shot anytime from mid-April onwards to be protected for the peak flu season, which is generally June to September.
However, it’s never too late to be vaccinated as the flu can spread all year round.
Vaccine order forms
A full list of government supplied vaccine order forms including Pharmacist Immuniser and Public hospital HCW influenza vaccine order forms are available for download.
Report to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR)
Make sure you report all vaccinations, including influenza vaccinations, to the AIR. Adult and adolescent vaccines can now be recorded along with child vaccines in the AIR.
Promote the free vaccine to your patients
A range of promotional materials are available via our online stakeholder toolkit.
Printed posters have been distributed to immunisation providers however additional copies can be downloaded and printed from the stakeholder toolkit or you can order printed posters from our resource ordering centre.
Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) advice
Read statement on the administration of seasonal influenza vaccines in 2018.
The Australian Immunisation Handbook
View the influenza chapter in The Australian Immunisation Handbook. v4.7
Commonwealth resources