Queensland Health 2025 Influenza vaccination advice

Annual influenza vaccination is the best way to protect against severe disease and complications from influenza. The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) recommends influenza vaccination for all people aged 6 months and over.

Administration

The ATAGI statement on the administration of seasonal influenza vaccines in 2025 details vaccines registered for use in Australia. Vaccination providers should refer to this statement along with the Australian Immunisation Handbook and the Immunisation Schedule Queensland prior to administering any influenza vaccine.

Vaccine strains

Influenza vaccines are updated annually to address the most common circulating strains.

The 2025 Quadrivalent seasonal influenza vaccines for the southern hemisphere include both egg and cell-based strains:

In 2025, all NIP-funded influenza vaccines available are quadrivalent vaccines (QIV) including the adjuvanted (enhanced) influenza vaccine for adults aged 65 years and older.

Australia is transitioning from using quadrivalent influenza vaccine (QIV) to trivalent influenza vaccine (TIV) formulations for influenza immunisation. During the transition period, ATAGI supports the use of either QIV or TIV. ATAGI has published a statement on the transition from QIV to TIV seasonal influenza vaccines in Australia.

Timing of influenza vaccination

Influenza is highly contagious and can circulate year-round. Infection rates tend to increase during the cooler months between May and October with the peak commonly occurring in August. In tropical areas, the pattern can be more variable and may include clusters outside this period.

Annual vaccination should ideally occur before the onset of each influenza season. Vaccinating from April provides protection before the peak. While protection is generally expected to last for the whole season, the best protection against influenza occurs within the first 3 to 4 months following vaccination.

If a person had a 2024 formulation of the influenza vaccine in late 2024 or early 2025, they are still recommended to receive recommend a 2025 formulation influenza vaccine when they become available.

It is never too late to vaccinate since influenza can circulate in the community all year. Vaccination should continue to be offered while a non-expired vaccine is available.

Influenza vaccination during pregnancy and for international travellers can be of benefit at any time of year.

It is also important to remind people that the vaccine is not immediately effective, and it generally takes 10 to 14 days to be protected.

Co-administration with other vaccines

People can receive influenza vaccines at the same time as most other vaccines, including dTpa, RSV, pneumococcal and COVID-19 vaccines. Refer to the Australian Immunisation Handbook for more information.

Australian Immunisation Register

It is mandatory to record all influenza vaccinations administered on the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR). Further information can be found on the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care website.

Influenza vaccine safety

Contraindications: The only contraindications to influenza vaccines are:

• Anaphylaxis following a previous dose of any influenza vaccine.
• Anaphylaxis following any vaccine component (excluding eggs).

Egg allergy: People with egg allergy, including a history of anaphylaxis, can be safely vaccinated with any influenza vaccines (including egg-based and cell-based vaccines) unless they have reported a serious adverse reaction to influenza vaccines. Refer to the Australian Immunisation Handbook for more information on vaccinating people with a known egg allergy and vaccination for people who have had an adverse event following immunisation .

Latex allergy: The influenza vaccines available under the NIP in 2025 are latex free and people with a latex allergy can safely be vaccinated.

For all other influenza vaccines refer to the Australian Immunisation Handbook or the respective Product Information.

Adverse events following vaccination: Under the Public Health Act 2005, adverse events following immunisation are a notifiable condition. Notification of all adverse events following immunisation (AEFI) at any age should be made by submitting an Adverse Events Following Immunisation Reporting Form.

Vaccine administration errors: VAEs can occur because of errors in vaccine preparation, handling, storage, or administration and can be associated with immunisation error-related reactions. Identification and follow-up of VAEs can identify and correct immunisation error-related reactions in a timely manner and is essential to ensuring the quality and safety of a vaccination service.

VAEs that may pose a safety risk to the patient, regardless of whether an adverse event following immunisation has occurred, must be reported to Queensland Health using the Adverse Events Following Immunisation Reporting Form.

Eligibility for influenza vaccines funded by the National Immunisation Program

Annual influenza vaccination is recommended for all people from 6 months of age. Influenza vaccines are funded under the National Immunisation Program (NIP) for the following groups:

• Children aged 6 months to less than 5 years.
• People aged 65 years or over.
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 6 months and over.
• During Pregnancy at any stage.
• People aged 6 months and over who have a medical condition that is associated with an increased risk of influenza disease complications. A list of these conditions and associated NIP funded is available in the Australian Immunisation Handbook.

Age restrictions apply to all influenza vaccine brands. Please refer to the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) clinical advice statement.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

The disease burden from influenza is significantly higher among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples than non-Indigenous Australians in all age groups. Influenza vaccination is recommended and funded under the NIP for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples from 6 months of age.

Children

Children aged 6 months to less than 5 years are at increased risk of complications from influenza, with even healthy children susceptible to severe illness. Despite this, only a quarter of Queensland children were vaccinated against influenza in 2024. The influenza vaccine is recommended and funded under the NIP for all children in this age group.

Two doses are recommended and funded in the first year of vaccination (at least 4 weeks apart). While 2 doses in the first year are recommended, one dose will provide some protection and is preferable to receiving no doses. One annual dose of influenza vaccine is required in following years even if only one dose was given in the first year.

Refer to the additional dosage requirements for children aged 6 months to less than 9 years who are receiving influenza vaccine for the first time.

Medically at Risk

Influenza vaccine is recommended and funded under the NIP for all people aged 6 months and over with certain medical conditions. A list of these conditions is available in the Australian Immunisation Handbook.

Vaccination is particularly important for people with underlying medical conditions as they are at high risk of complications from influenza.

Vaccination during pregnancy

Influenza vaccination is recommended and funded under the NIP at any stage of pregnancy. Influenza vaccination should be routinely offered as part of antenatal care.

People who contract influenza during pregnancy have an increased risk of complications and a higher risk of preterm birth.

Vaccinating during pregnancy also protects infants from influenza in the first 6 months of life, when they are too young to be vaccinated.

People who received an influenza vaccine in 2024 are also recommended to receive the 2025 influenza vaccine if it becomes available before the end of their pregnancy. Those who received influenza vaccine before becoming pregnant should be revaccinated during pregnancy to protect the unborn infant.

Influenza vaccine can safely be administered during pregnancy at the same time as the pertussis, RSV and COVID-19 vaccines, as well as anti-D immunoglobulin.

People 65 years and older

Vaccination is particularly important for people in this age group as they are at high risk of complications from influenza. Influenza vaccination is recommended and funded under the NIP for all people aged 65 years and over.

Fluad® Quad, the adjuvanted influenza vaccine, is recommended in preference to standard influenza vaccine for adults aged 65 years and over.

In 2025 the following influenza vaccines will be funded under the NIP

	Fluad® Quad	Funded for all people aged 65 years and over
	Vaxigrip Tetra®	Funded for eligible cohorts aged 6 months to less than 65 years (Note Vaxigrip Tetra® will not be available until April)
	FluQuadri®	Funded for eligible cohorts aged 6 months to less than 5 years (The National Immunisation Program has experienced a short delay in the supply of Vaxigrip® Tetra. FluQuadri® will be supplied as an alternative influenza vaccine for children 6 months to under 5 years at the beginning of the 2025 Influenza Vaccination Program until the supply of Vaxigrip® Tetra becomes available. Note the packaging will not be labelled with “Government Funded Program – 2025”)
	Flucelvax® Quad	Funded for eligible cohorts aged 5 years to less than 65 years

Download the 2025 Flu vaccine poster (PDF 331 kB)

Influenza vaccine ordering, storage and handling

Vaccine service providers registered with the Queensland Health Immunisation Program (QHIP) can order NIP funded influenza vaccines through QHIP. For more information visit Order, store and manage immunisations.

Influenza vaccines that are available on the private market should continue to be accessed through your routine pharmaceutical wholesalers.

Correct vaccine storage and handling processes play an important role in protecting individuals and communities from vaccine-preventable diseases. For general recommendations and guidance, refer to the National Vaccine Storage Guidelines 'Strive for 5'. For Queensland Health specific information visit the Cold chain breaches | Queensland Health webpage.

More information

• ATAGI Statement on the administration of seasonal influenza vaccines in 2025.
• Influenza (flu) | The Australian Immunisation Handbook (health.gov.au)
• Adverse event following immunisation and vaccine administration errors.
• 2025 Free Flu Vaccination Program
• Using the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) | Queensland Health

For more information contact immunisation@health.qld.gov.au