Have you had your flu shot yet?

Northern Queensland PHN CEO John Gregg recently got his flu shot from Pharmacist Tahlia at Pease St WholeLife Pharmacy and Healthfoods.

It is highly recommended you and your family arrange to have the influenza vaccine as soon as possible to prevent the flu and its complications.

The flu shot changes each year to match the influenza virus that is most likely to be around during the flu season, so the best way to protect yourself from the flu is to get vaccinated each year.

It is a common misconception that you can get the flu from the flu shot. The flu shot definitely does not give you the flu, nor does it give you a little bit of the (live) influenza virus. All flu shots used in Australia are made from the deactivated ‘shell’ of the flu virus, so it is not the live virus.

A free flu shot is available for all adults aged 65 years and older, all pregnant women during any stage of pregnancy, all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples aged six months and older, and all individuals 6 months and older with medical conditions predisposing them to severe flu.

Flu shots are available from GPs, pharmacies, community health clinics, and Aboriginal Medical Services (AMSs). This makes it easy for anyone to get the flu shot, so don’t delay and book in today!

Thank you to Tahlia and the Pease St Whole Health Pharmacy Team for vaccinating John against the flu this season!