Flu vaccines will be available at Green Square Health from Monday the 6th of April, but due to government supplies deliveries to medical centres appear to be staggered, hence we will run flu vaccine clinics to prioritise those at greatest risk of influenza in the first instance.

If you are in the following groups, you will be eligible for a government funded vaccination.

• all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 6 months and over
• all children aged 6 months to less than 5 years of age (including Aboriginal and medically at risk)
• all individuals aged 5 years and over with medical risk conditions, namely:
  • cardiac disease, including cyanotic congenital heart disease, coronary artery disease and congestive heart failure
  • chronic respiratory conditions, including suppurative lung disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and severe asthma
  • other chronic illnesses requiring regular medical follow up or hospitalisation in the previous year, including diabetes mellitus, chronic metabolic diseases, chronic renal failure, and haemoglobinopathies
  • chronic neurological conditions that impact on respiratory function, including multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries, and seizure disorders
  • impaired immunity, including HIV, malignancy and chronic steroid use
  • children aged 6 months to 10 years on long term aspirin therapy
• pregnant women (influenza vaccine can be given at any stage of pregnancy)
• people aged 65 years and over (vaccine that is specifically designed to produce a higher immune response is available for this group).

If you are not in the above groups, we can provide you with an influenza vaccination but it is not government funded.

Booking process:

We encourage you to call our nurse between the hours of 1pm-2pm Monday to Friday on 02 8197 1125 to book in for a influenza vaccine.

Please let them know which group you are in, government funded or private.
The nurse will then tell you at what time you can have your influenza vaccine. 

Usually we would welcome you to pick any time that is suitable, but given the limited personal protective equipment available, we are booking all patients into clinics of government funded and private vaccines, and we will book sequentially from the start of the clinic to the end.

Hence people will first be offered 9am, and when the 9am slots are full, the 9:30am slots will be available.

Please let us know if you have any of the following:

• Allergy to the influenza vaccine (mild allergies it is possible to receive it, but we will observe for 30 minutes – people with severe allergies should not have the vaccination)
• Egg allergies (this is not a contraindication – but we must observe you for 30 minutes as opposed to 15 minutes)
• A history of Guillain-Barre Syndrome (we need advice from your specialist before immunising)
• A fever of greater than 38.5C (should get the vaccine when you no longer have a fever)
• If you have had a stem cell or organ transplant (need 2 vaccines in the first year since transplantation)

Vaccination process:

We ask that you arrive in front of the clinic on Bourke Street at your scheduled appointment time. Please wear loose clothing that can easily expose the upper part of your arm near the shoulder. A singlet or loose t-shirt is best.

To the right of our entrance, are 5 spots marked 1 to 5. Please stand here and await for the nurse or doctor.

 

They will be at the door in full PPE, and ask you to come to the door and check your identity, vaccine eligibility, take your temperature and administer your vaccine to your non dominant arm.

Then to the left of our clinic entrance will be 5 seats spaced 2m apart. Please take a seat at the furthest available seat and remain there until the nurse or doctor verbally tells you to leave.

If able please come by yourself.

If you are bringing someone you care for, we ask that minimal people come as necessary (1 carer flu vaccine recipient).

Private vaccine cost:

Influenza vaccines will cost $25 each for people who are not eligible for a government funded influenza vaccine.

Once you are booked in you will be emailed an invoice for the vaccine to pay via bank transfer.

Due to the current financial situation, we will not be able to administer a private influenza vaccine if payment has not been made (a screenshot of the payment receipt is adequate).