Promoting and supporting influenza immunisation

This website and the national annual influenza promotional campaign is brought to you by The Immunisation Advisory Centre (IMAC) and the National Influenza Strategy Group (NISG).

2019 Influenza Immunisation Programme

Refund for unused/expired funded influenza vaccine

Please consider keeping some doses of Afluria Quad or FluQuadri for non-funded vaccination of pregnant women or travellers to the Northern Hemishpehere in early 2020.

  • To be eligible for a refund, the unused stock must be returned prior to 31 January 2020.
  • One refund will be available from any one account for a total of:
    • 10 doses of unused INFLUVAC TETRA and/or
    • 1 dose of unused FLUARIX TETRA and/or
    • 5 doses of unused FLUQUADRI.
  • No refund is available for unused AFLURIA QUAD doses.
  • Contact Healthcare Logistics on 0508 425 358 to request a Return Authorisation.

Note: Claims for influenza vaccinations after 31 December are not be accepted.

2019 Flu Kit

 Click here to download the electronic version of the Flu Kit Booklet 2019 updated 11 April 2019

Please note: An erratum has been published for the Flu Kit Booklet 2019. To view the erratum please click here.

 

Important Information

FLUQUADRI™

  • Pregnant women at any stage of pregnancy.
  • Adults and children aged 3 years or older with severe asthma, heart disease, diabetes and other serious health conditions that make them more susceptible to influenza.
  • Those aged 65 and over.
  • Purchased by ineligible adults and children from 3 years of age.

AFLURIA® QUAD

  • Pregnant women at any stage of pregnancy.
  • Adults and children aged 5 years or older with severe asthma, heart disease, diabetes and other serious health conditions that make them more susceptible to influenza.
  • Those aged 65 and over.
  • Purchased by ineligible adults and children from 3 years of age.

INFLUVAC® TETRA

  • Pregnant women at any stage of pregnancy.
  • Adults and children aged 3 years or older with severe asthma, heart disease, diabetes and other serious health conditions that make them more susceptible to influenza. 
  • Those aged 65 and over.
  • Purchased by ineligible adults and children from 3 years of age.

FLUARIX® TETRA

  • Children aged 6 months to under 3 years with serious respiratory illnesses, heart disease, diabetes and other serious health conditions that make them more susceptible to influenza.
  • Pregnant women at any stage of pregnancy.
  • Purchased for children aged 6–35 months who are not eligible to receive a funded vaccine based on the influenza risk to the individual child and the local availability of Fluarix Tetra.

The influenza strains included in the 2019 quadrivalent vaccines are the:

  • A/Michigan/45/2015 (H1N1) pdm09-like virus
  • A/Switzerland/8060/2017 (H3N2)-like virus
  • B/Colorado/06/2017-like virus
  • B/Phuket/3073/2013-like virus

Influenza vaccination precaution

These are the only four cancer treatments in New Zealand when influenza vaccination may be contraindicated or need to be delayed: 

  • atezolizumab (TECENTRIQ®),
  • ipilimumab (YERVOY®),
  • nivolumab (OPDIVO®) 
  • pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA®)

The immune-stimulant actions of these treatments on the immune system increase a person’s risk of developing autoimmune conditions. It is not known whether receipt of an influenza vaccine whilst receiving these treatments or for up to six months after treatment increases a theoretical risk of triggering the occurrence of these side effects. Please contact the person’s oncologist or 0800 IMMUNE (0800 466 863) for current advice about influenza vaccination for these people BEFORE administering the vaccine.