Influenza

Influenza (flu) can be a serious illness and poses a significant public health issue in New Zealand.

Immunisation provides the best protection against influenza, and demand for the vaccine in New Zealand is increasing. Getting a flu vaccine helps reduce your risk of getting really sick or having to go to hospital.

• About the flu vaccine
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• Pae Ora | Healthy Futures for all New Zealanders

The Prevention Directorate within the National Public Health Service, Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is responsible for implementing the Influenza Immunisation Programme.

Pharmac are responsible for setting the eligibility criteria for funded flu vaccines in Aotearoa New Zealand each year. Detailed information of who is eligible for a free vaccination can be found on the Pharmac website.

Free flu eligibility criteria – Pharmac

The Director General of Health has approved the 2024 influenza programme, commencing April 2nd until Medsafe approved influenza vaccine stock is exhausted or expired, whichever occurs first. This approval also enables authorised vaccinators to administer both public and private market influenza vaccine without prescription from April 2nd. Private market vaccines administered prior to this date, require a prescription, standing order, or addition to an approved Local Immunisation Programme (LIP).

Note: Pharmacist vaccinators can administer private market influenza vaccine under the medicines classifications.

The programme goals and objectives for the 2024 Influenza Immunisation season

Aged 65 years and over:

• Vaccinate 75% of the population aged 65 and over.

Healthcare and disability workers:

• 80% coverage for Health New Zealand employed workers.
• An increase in absolute vaccinations from 2023 for non-Health New Zealand health and disability workers.

The objectives are:

• Offer influenza vaccine to all children aged between six months and four years upon hospital discharge following respiratory illness.
• Offer influenza vaccine to all pregnant people. 
• Offer influenza vaccine to all eligible people on discharge from hospital. 

Vaccine supply

There are 1.5 million doses of influenza vaccines available in Aotearoa New Zealand in 2024 and there are 5 types of quadrivalent influenza vaccines.

• INFLUVAC TETRA is funded and approved for children and adults, aged from six months and older 
• FLUCELVAX QUAD is unfunded only, approved for use in children and adults, aged from six months and older  
• AFLURIA® QUAD JUNIOR is unfunded only, approved for use in children aged 6–35 months.
• AFLURIA® QUAD is unfunded only, approved for use in children and adults aged from 3 years.
• FLUAD® QUAD is unfunded only, approved for use in adults aged 65 years or older.

For more information visit:

Influenza information for health professionals – IMAC

The World Health Organization strongly recommends healthcare workers as a priority group for influenza vaccination, not only for their own protection and ability to maintain services but also to reduce the spread of influenza to vulnerable patients, including those who are pregnant.

Manatū Hauora and Health New Zealand recommends health and disability workers receive an annual influenza vaccination because influenza is a significant health issue in Aotearoa New Zealand.

District Employees

One of the Influenza Programme goals is that 80 percent of New Zealand’s district health care workers are immunised against Influenza each year. As with previous years, districts are running influenza vaccination programmes for their staff. Please contact your Health & Safety representative for details.

Non-Health New Zealand Employed Health and Disability Workers

One of the Influenza Programme goals is to increase the non-district employed health and disability workers vaccinated annually for influenza. Prevention will again support eligible employers of non-Health New Zealand health and disability workers to claim for the cost of vaccinating their frontline patient facing staff against influenza via the Reimbursement Portal. The Portal will open on 2 April 2024 and close on 11 October 2024.

Reimbursement Portal