Flu vaccinations
What is it?
Influenza (the flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by the influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times lead to death. Influenza symptoms include: fever (usually high), headache, extreme tiredness, dry cough, sore throat, muscle aches and runny stuffy nose. Influenza vaccination can reduce the chance of getting the virus and/or reduce the severity of the illness.
What is included?
We complete onsite vaccination clinics and offer an online booking system for larger staff numbers. All vaccinations are entered into the Aotearoa Immunisation Register (AIR).
Why vaccinate?
Complications of flu include bacterial pneumonia, ear infections, sinus infections, dehydration and worsening of chronic medical conditions, such as congestive heart failure, worsening asthma, or diabetes.
Protect your colleagues, your whanau & friends.
Who is it for?
It is for all workplaces who proactively encourage their staff’s wellbeing and include the following benefits:
- Making it easy for staff to get their influenza vaccination in a safe environment in a timely manner
- To minimise staff illness during winter/spring
- Reduce sick days for employees
- Cost effective
How does the flu spread?
Flu viruses spread mainly from person to person through talking, laughing, coughing and sneezing of people with influenza. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose. People are infectious two days before symptoms develop and up to five days after becoming sick. That means that you may be able to pass on the flu to someone else before you know you are sick.
How to prevent getting the flu?
The single best way to prevent getting the flu is to get a vaccination. This is an inactivated vaccine (containing killed virus). A new vaccination is formulated each year as the influenza virus changes rapidly over time and different strains become dominant.
It takes two weeks following vaccination for the body to produce sufficient antibodies to protect against influenza virus infection throughout the Influenza season. Flu vaccines will not protect against flu-like illnesses caused by non-influenza viruses.