The flu is highly contagious and spreads easily through droplets from coughing and sneezing. These droplets can settle onto hard surfaces, e.g. computers or doorknobs, and can then pass from hands to nose, mouth or eyes. Vaccination is the single best way to prevent the spread of the flu.
Having a flu shot reduces your likelihood of catching the flu as well as the severity of flu symptoms if you do get infected. Having the flu shot is also valuable in protecting other family members; particularly the younger and older members.
A flu vaccination is needed every season for two reasons. Firstly, the body’s immune response from vaccination declines over time, so an annual vaccine is needed for optimal protection. Secondly, flu viruses are constantly changing so the formulation of the flu vaccine is reviewed each year and updated as needed by the World Health Organisation. It's therefore recommended that you get the flu vaccination every year to stay protected against the different kinds and most recent strains of flu.
No one vaccine is 100% effective but the flu vaccine offers a good level of protection to healthy people. If you've been vaccinated and you still get the flu, you'll be less likely to get really sick and develop health complications.
All vaccines available in Australia must pass strict safety testing before being approved for use by the Therapeutic Goods Administration.
No, you won’t get the flu from having the flu vaccine. The vaccine does not contain live flu viruses and cannot cause the flu. People who develop the flu after having the flu shot would have been infected before the vaccine took effect and will have a milder case. Flu-like symptoms may show up to 48 hours after receiving a flu shot, but are mild and only a natural immune system response.
The key is to provide vaccinations before the onset of the flu season in June. VicHealth recommends getting the vaccination in the months leading up to, and including, May.
Flu vaccinations provide a great return on investment with savings of up to 2.5 times the cost of the program. Figures show that a worker with the flu is likely to take at least 3-4 days of sick leave. There is also a high likelihood of them infecting others in the workplace. No business can afford this impact on their productivity and efficiency. Annual flu vaccinations is the single most effective measure available to prevent the flu impacting your workplace.
Our Registered and/or Enrolled Nurses, hold license certificates endorsed by the relevant State Authority for independent practice and an immunisation program. They will provide on-site flu vaccinations for your team with minimal disruptions to the working day.
We provide an end to end service which includes a dedicated Project Manager who will work closely with you to ensure the seamless implementation of your vaccination program. They will set a date and time for the nurse to visit your workplace that suits your business. Vaccinating each employee takes just a few minutes.