Everything you need to know about the 2025 flu vaccine
After a few years of heightened focus on vaccines, it’s easy to overlook the flu shot, but it’s still one of the best ways to protect yourself and those around you during flu season. nib Medical Advisor, Dr Hamish Black, explains why and answers all your burning questions about the 2025 flu vaccine.
Do I need to get the flu vaccine every year?
It's strongly recommended you get your flu shot each year. This is because the virus evolves and there are new flu strains, opens in a new tab that last year’s vaccine won’t work against.
Every year, the World Health Organization, opens in a new tab (WHO) forecasts the most anticipated flu strains. Pharmaceutical companies then develop vaccines tailored to target these strains.
It might take two weeks, opens in a new tab for your immunity to build up after you get your flu shot. Your immunity will usually peak about three to four months later, opens in a new tab.
Getting the flu shot helps protect people at higher risk of complications, such as developing pneumonia or needing hospital care. It can reduce the chance of being hospitalised by 30% to 60%, opens in a new tab.
“As we learnt during the pandemic, the rates of transmission of communicable diseases are driven down by large numbers of the population being immunised. By getting immunised, we aren’t just protecting ourselves with the use of a safe and effective vaccine, but we’re also helping to protect those who are vulnerable to becoming seriously unwell with influenza,” says Hamish.
Who should get the flu vaccine?
It’s recommended that all Australians aged six months and over, opens in a new tab should get the flu shot each year. Getting the flu vaccine is very important for these priority groups, opens in a new tab:
Children aged six months to five years
Pregnant women at any stage of pregnancy
People aged 65 and over
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples aged six months and over
People aged six months and over with certain medical conditions.
If you had anaphylaxis, opens in a new tab after a previous dose, then it is recommended you should avoid getting the flu vaccine without further advice from a healthcare provider.
Why are flu shots recommended for children under five?
Babies and children under five are at a high risk of further complications if they catch the flu, opens in a new tab. If your child is between six months and five years old, they can get a free flu shot at the same appointment as other routine vaccines. Children under nine, opens in a new tab getting the influenza vaccine for the first time need two doses, four weeks apart. This strengthens the immune response for all vaccine strains.
Is the flu vaccine free?
You can get a flu vaccine for free if you’re in one of the priority groups we talked about earlier. But if you aren’t then you might have to pay between $15 and $30 for your flu shot.
How is the 2025 flu shot different to last year’s?
Every year, the vaccine changes to cover the strains of flu that might be common in Australia.
For the 2025 flu season, the Australian Influenza Vaccine Committee, opens in a new tab looked at data on recent flu strains. They decided which strains to include in the 2025 vaccine. Based on their recommendations and WHO’s, opens in a new tab, the 2025 flu vaccine includes coverage of the new A (H3N2) viruses, opens in a new tab.
Are there different types of flu vaccines and can I choose which one I get?
Yes, there are different types of flu shots, opens in a new tab. But the vaccine you end up getting will depend on your age. Your health professional can tell you which vaccine they recommend for you or your child.
Will the 2025 flu vaccine protect me from COVID-19?
No, the 2025 flu vaccine won’t protect you from COVID-19. But it’s still important to stay up to date on your flu vaccines and COVID-19 boosters to protect your health. The vaccine will help reduce the impact of the flu and lower your risk, opens in a new tab of getting influenza and severe COVID-19, opens in a new tab at the same time. “Getting the flu vaccine means you’re putting less people at risk – especially vulnerable groups – and reducing the burden on our healthcare systems,” Hamish explains.
Can I get the flu vaccine and COVID-19 vaccine at the same time?
"COVID-19 and flu vaccines can be given at the same time, opens in a new tab and it’s a good idea to do that to avoid an extra visit to the doctor,” says Hamish.
“It’s generally a good idea to book in to have the COVID-19 vaccine as this is still manufactured in multidose vials, whereas the flu vaccine can often be given as a walk-up patient.”
As the effect of the COVID-19 vaccine wanes, it’s important to stay on top of your boosters to protect yourself and your loved ones. You can use the COVID-19 booster eligibility checker, opens in a new tab to check if you can have a COVID-19 booster.
Is the flu shot the same as the RSV vaccine?
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), opens in a new tab is a virus that can affect your lungs and airways. It’s a bit like the flu in some ways, but RSV can make it harder to breathe and may lead to bronchiolitis or pneumonia, opens in a new tab. While anyone can catch RSV, it’s strongly recommended that the following groups get the RSV vaccine, opens in a new tab:
Women at 28 to 36 weeks pregnancy
Babies and children under two who have certain medical conditions or were born early
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples aged 60 years and over
People 60 years and over who have medical conditions that increase the risk of catching RSV
People aged 75 years and over.
You can usually get the RSV vaccine on the same day as your flu shot, opens in a new tab, but some people prefer to space them out by a few days to lower the chance of side effects.
When should I get the flu shot?
You can get the flu shot anytime it’s available, which is usually from April, opens in a new tab. While it’s never too late to get the vaccine, the flu shot is most effective three to four months after you have it. And with peak flu season, opens in a new tab being from June to August, it’s a smart idea to get a flu vaccination as early as possible.
“If you had last season’s flu vaccine late last year or early this year, you should still get the new season vaccine this year when it becomes available,” Hamish advises.
Where can I get the flu shot?
There are many places you can get a flu shot, which include:
Your local GP or chemist
Local council immunisation clinics or community centres
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander medical centres, opens in a new tab.
You can use Healthdirect’s free service finder, opens in a new tab to find a list of vaccine providers in your local area. Or you can search ‘flu vaccine near me’ if you want a quicker way to look for a local provider. Not all providers can provide free flu vaccines, so make sure to ask if they do before booking.
Common myths about the flu shot
There are many common myths about the flu vaccine, and we’re going to quickly debunk some of them:
You can get the flu from the vaccine
The flu vaccine doesn’t contain the live virus, so it won’t give you the flu, opens in a new tab. While you might experience some flu-like side effects, they usually only last a day or two and go away on their own.
You can get severe flu vaccine side effects
Mild side effects, like a sore arm, are quite common. But severe side effects and allergic reactions are very rare, opens in a new tab. When you get your flu shot, you might have to stay back 15 minutes. This helps the person who gave you the vaccine check for and minimise any adverse reactions. If you experience symptoms of anaphylaxis, seizure, rash or an unexpected reaction, go to your GP, nurse or hospital straight away and inform them of your recent vaccination.
You won’t get sick from the flu at all if you get vaccinated
It would be nice if getting the flu vaccine meant you couldn’t catch the flu at all, but sadly, that’s not how it works. The flu shot lowers your chance of getting sick – but because there are different strains around, it’s not a guarantee. That’s why it’s still important to take simple steps to protect yourself – like washing your hands often and covering your mouth when you cough or sneeze.
How is the flu spread?
When people who have the flu talk, sneeze or cough, they release tiny droplets of fluid containing the virus, opens in a new tab into the air. Others can catch the flu by:
breathing in these droplets
touching an infected person
touching a surface where droplets have landed (the virus can survive for up to 48 hours on hard surfaces, opens in a new tab).
How to stop the spread of the flu
One of the most effective ways to stop the spread of the flu is to get vaccinated. You can also minimise the spread by following these tips:
Wash your hands after coughing or sneezing
Cover coughs and sneezes
Clean surfaces regularly, including your phone, keyboard and door handles
Throw away your used tissues immediately
Avoid sharing personal items such as cups, cutlery and towels with others.
Please note: The information throughout this article serves as broad information and should not replace any advice you have been given by your medical practitioner.
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Hamish Black
Dr Hamish Black has been a medical practitioner for more than 25 years. In addition to his role as nib group medical advisor, he still spends two days a week practising as a GP. He has spent many years working in emergency departments and in rural Australia, including a stint with the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Hamish also loves karaoke and dancing (though not that well at either, he says!), with Play that Funky Music by Wild Cherry being his karaoke favourite.