To celebrate our opening, WeCare is offering a free flu jab to all new patients*.
Why? Because we’re strong believers in preventing ill-health rather than simply treating sickness.
What is flu?
Influenza (or flu) is a highly contagious virus that causes severe illness and can be life-threatening. Symptoms include fever, chills, body aches, fatigue, a sore throat and congestion. It can knock you right out of action. While anyone can catch flu, it’s particularly risky in older people, young kids, pregnant women and people with underlying medical conditions.
They say the best disease is the one you don’t catch. That’s definitely true with the flu. There’s really no treatment for it, just symptomatic relief.
How effective is the flu jab?
The flu vaccine prevents influenza in 6 out of 10 people under 65. That’s a good success rate.
All the hygiene practices recommended for COVID-19 will also work to prevent flu spreading. So stay home if you’re unwell, wash your hands thoroughly and often, cough into your elbow, dispose of tissues and don’t touch things unnecessarily.
The flu jab and COVID-19
Getting your flu jab is also something you can do to help stop the disruption caused by COVID-19. The flu jab won’t prevent COVID but it will help prevent flu, a very similar illness that will probably mean you need a COVID test, as will anyone else who’s caught it from you. Getting seriously ill with the flu also adds to the pressure on our hospital system. Flu often causes thousands of hospitalisations each year.
Can I have the COVID vaccine and the flu vaccine?
Yes, but not at the same time. You need to wait 14 days between vaccines.
Who should get the flu vaccine?
The government recommends that everyone over the age of 6 months gets a flu vaccine. However, it only funds vaccines for certain groups of people.
You can get the flu vaccine for free at any clinic if you are:
- A child aged 6 months to less than 5 years
- An Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander over 6 months old
- Over 65
- Pregnant
- Over 6 months old with an underlying medical condition such as diabetes, heart disease, severe asthma or impaired immunity.
If you fall outside those categories, you’ll usually have to pay for your vaccine. It’s definitely worth it – but the costs can mount up easily if you’re paying for the whole family.
Vaccinate the whole family for free at WeCare
When you become a WeCare patient, your whole family can be vaccinated against flu for free. It’s our shout.
And now’s the time to do it. You need to get your jab about 3-4 months before flu season peaks in August. That means May is a great time to have your flu jab, ensuring your immunity is strong at the right time.
Get your free flu vaccine now
Call WeCare on 07 2800 8088 to register with our practice and book your free flu vaccination.
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*Disclaimer
All information is general in nature. Patients should consider their own personal circumstances and seek a second opinion.
Free flu gabs also refer to no out of pocket expenses. Flu jabs are covered by Medicare for Medicare Card holders.
