Bookings are now open for free flu vaccinations for all Macquarie University and MQ Health staff.

MQ Health GP Clinic Director Professor Sanjyot Vagholkar says NSW Health’s weekly respiratory surveillance report is showing flu numbers are still low, but they are higher than at the same time last year.

“The Northern Hemisphere had an early start to its most recent flu season and the World Health Organization has suggested Australia may follow that trend,” Professor Vagholkar says.

“With air travel back to normal and far fewer people wearing masks in public, we can likely expect flu rates at pre-pandemic levels.”

Vaccination reduces your risk of contracting the flu or may reduce the severity of illness if you do contract it. By being vaccinated, you are also protecting those around you, including those who cannot be vaccinated.

This is particularly important if you live, work or socialise with older people, anyone with underlying health conditions, young children, Indigenous people or pregnant women, as these groups are all at increased risk from the illness.

Like many respiratory viruses, the influenza virus mutates regularly, so vaccination is not 100 per cent effective, but it remains the best way of protecting yourself against severe illness.

Professor Vagholkar says three years into the pandemic, there is a risk of complacency about the threats posed by respiratory diseases.

“Both flu and COVID-19 can cause severe illness in those who are at higher risk, particularly if they are unvaccinated, and we should not forget this,” she says.

Make your booking

Free flu vaccinations for all staff are available throughout May. Make your booking online today.

NSW Health is recommending that anyone who has not had a COVID-19 infection or vaccination in the past six months should consider having a booster.

It is safe to have a COVID-19 vaccination and a flu vaccination on the same day. While MQ Health GP Clinic is not offering the two vaccines as a single shot, staff can ask to receive both in the one appointment. If you have questions about COVID-19 vaccination, please make a separate appointment.

The GP Clinic is in Suite 305 on Level 3 of the MQ Health Clinic Building, at 2 Technology Place.

Please note that the link above is for Macquarie staff only. Family members, friends and others can book vaccination appointments at the Marsfield flu clinic.

Facts about the flu vaccine

• It is not possible to get even a mild flu from vaccination, as it is not a live vaccine.
• The flu shot is not a booster. You receive a new vaccine each year, formulated to combat the latest strains.
• People aged 65 and older receive a specially formulated dose that includes an extra component to produce a better immune response. If you fall into this category, make sure you let the clinic know so you receive the right shot.
• If you are planning to travel overseas, it’s a good idea to be vaccinated at least two weeks before you leave.
• The flu vaccine is usually well tolerated, though some people may experience minor side effects such as a sore arm or aches and pains.
• Children can be vaccinated against the flu from the age of six months. The first year they are vaccinated, they require two shots, one month apart.

You can find more information on staff flu vaccination here.