Influenza (flu) Vaccinations

• Are available for people over 6 months of age.

• Are fully funded for people aged over 65 years.

• Are fully funded for pregnant woman. 

• Are fully funded for specific medical conditions* please contact us to confirm.

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 • Getting the influenza immunisation is the best way to protect yourself and your whānau against the flu.

• Influenza can be much worse than a common cold. The sooner you get an influenza immunisation, the better. It can take up to two weeks after you get the vaccine for your body to start protecting you.  

• Get immunised to help stop the spread of influenza around your community. Even if you don’t feel sick, you could still be infected with influenza and pass it on to others.

• While it is possible to catch influenza after immunisation, your symptoms are less likely to be  severe if you had a flu vaccine.

• If you are sick, it is still important to stay away from others, wash your hands, and cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing.

• Having an influenza immunisation every year can keep older people healthy and active for longer.

• Influenza immunisation during pregnancy helps protect both hapū māma and pēpē, during the first few months of life.

• You can’t catch the flu from the immunisation – the vaccine used in Aotearoa New Zealand doesn’t contain any live influenza virus.

• Having side effects after your influenza immunisation is a sign that your body’s immune system is working well. You might experience pain, itching, redness at the vaccination site, aches and pains, fever and feeling generally unwell and tired. Most side effects shouldn’t last long.

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April*, May and June are the best months to be vaccinated to allow the vaccine to work before the flu season starts.
*The flu vaccine (unfunded) is now available, the cost is $45 dollars. The funded vaccine will be available from 1st April 2024.

https://www.immunise.health.nz/about-vaccines/nz-immunisations/flu-influenza-vaccine/ 

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Covid Vaccine

The covid  vaccine to combat the newer strains of COVID-19 is now available at the clinic. 

Pharmac has approved the transition to the updated COVID-19 vaccine for the XBB.1.5 strain to be used in New Zealand from 7 March 2024,

The XBB vaccine is more effective against more recent subvariants of COVID-19 in New Zealand.

The COVID-19 vaccine is funded from Pharmac’s fixed pharmaceutical budget, set by the Government.

MacGibbon says, “The XBB vaccine will be funded for these eligible groups:

• everyone aged 30 years and over

• people aged 16-29 who are pregnant

• people aged 12-29 at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19.

 

yIf ou’re eligible, you can get a vaccination if it’s been at least six months since your last COVID-19 vaccine or if you have never had one before. It’s recommended that you wait at least six months since your last COVID-19 infection.”

The XBB vaccine is especially recommended for those who are more likely to get seriously unwell if they get COVID-19.

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This includes:

• people aged 65 years and older

• Māori and Pacific people aged 50 and older

• residents of aged care facilities

• severely immunocompromised people aged 12 years and older

• people aged 12 years and over who have a medical condition that increases the risk of severe illness from COVID-19.

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Whooping cough/Pertussis Vaccinations

​Are fully funded for pregnant woman from 16 weeks onwards. and are recommended for immediate family members (aprtners grandparents) howevere are not funded. 

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Shingles Vaccine

The Shingles vaccine is recommended for all adults from 50 who have had chickenpox

https://healthify.nz/medicines-a-z/s/shingrix-vaccine/ the cost per vaccine is $325 plus $25 nurse consultation, two vaccine are required two months apart, a single vaccine is funded for one year the year you turn 65 only. Investing in the shingles vaccine early is a good preventative health measure  to avoid the shingles virus and potential  complications. Shingles is a painful blistering rash caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox, if you have  chickenpox in childhood you are at risk of shingles.https://healthify.nz/health-a-z/s/shingles/

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