Flu

For our Mob – stay safe from flu this season

Get your flu shot and flu mist today – at your local clinic!

What is the flu?

Influenza (flu) is a highly contagious respiratory illness caused mainly by influenza A and B viruses. It affects the nose, throat and lungs and can range from mild to severe illness.

Flu is more serious than the common cold and can lead to complications such as pneumonia, sepsis, and in severe cases, hospitalisation.

Flu can occur any time of year but is most common during the autumn and winter months.

Flu is a leading cause of hospitalisation in our communities.

To prevent going to hospital, we strongly recommend early vaccination for all our Mob aged six months and over.

Symptoms of the flu

People with the flu may experience some or all of the following:

• fever and chills
• cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose
• muscle aches, joint pain and headaches
• feeling extremely tired
• nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea (more common in children)

Symptoms may last more than a week, and some people may become very unwell and need hospital care.

How the flu spreads

Flu spreads easily through:

• droplets in the air when someone coughs or sneezes
• touching contaminated surfaces and then touching your eyes, nose or mouth.

People with the flu can spread it before they feel sick and while symptoms continue.

Who is most at risk?

The flu can be serious for anyone, but especially for:

• elders and older adults
• young children (jarjum)
• pregnant people
• people with chronic health conditions.

Children under 5 are at higher risk of complications such as pneumonia.

Who can get the flu vaccine?

• everyone 6 months and older
• free for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (all ages from 6 months) under the National Immunisation Program and free for everyone, subsidised by the Queensland government.

FluMist (nasal spray) for jarjum 2-5 years

A needle‑free nasal spray flu mist option is available for children aged 2-5 years. This can make vaccination easier for little ones who are nervous around needles.

How to prevent the flu

You can help protect yourself and community by:

• getting vaccinated every year
• washing hands regularly with soap and water
• covering coughs and sneezes with your elbow
• staying home if feeling unwell
• keeping surfaces clean.

Diagnosis and treatment

Your GP may confirm flu with a PCR test (nose/throat swab).

Most people recover at home by:

• resting
• drinking plenty of water
• taking medication for pain/fever if needed.

Seek medical care if symptoms get worse, you have trouble breathing, or you are in a higher‑risk group.

When should you stay home?

Stay home and avoid contact with others while you have symptoms.

If symptoms worsen or you develop severe tiredness, difficulty breathing, or ongoing fever, seek medical care.

Flu vaccination at IUIH clinics

IUIH clinics provide culturally safe flu vaccination for community.

During the 2026 flu campaign, you can also receive:

• tote bag
• water bottle
• socks
• kids’ crayons
• kids’ bubbles

To book, contact your nearest IUIH clinic.

Flu shot FAQs

What is the flu?

The flu is a potentially serious infection of the nose, throat and lungs caused by flu viruses. It spreads easily from person to person.

I’ve heard about FluMist – what is it and how can I get it?

FluMist is a nasal spray administered by the GP or nurse to 2-5 year olds, which is a flu vaccine not administered by a shot. It’s new in 2026 and may assist with jarjum who are distressed by needles.

What is the difference between the flu and the common cold?

Both flu and the common cold cause infection of the nose and throat, but they are caused by different viruses. The flu can be much more serious than the common cold as it can affect your lungs and you can end up in hospital.

What are the risks of flu?

The flu can be serious and can cause death. Our Mob is at high risk of getting crook with the flu. Complications, such as difficulty breathing and needing to go to hospital are most common among our Old People, kids under 5 years old and people with other health issues, such as lung and heart conditions and diabetes.

I already had the flu recently; should I get a flu shot this season?

Yes, we still recommend getting the flu shot even after you have had the flu recently. Getting the flu shot can lower the risk of becoming crook from other strains of the virus. If you have been crook with flu, you should wait until you are feeling well again before getting the flu shot.

We recommend getting the flu shot every year because the strains change each year. The new season flu shots are re-formulated each year to match the circulating strains as closely as possible.

When should I get the flu shot?

You should get the flu shot any time from April, to be ready for peak flu season. Peak flu season is  usually between June and September but can be earlier. It’s never too late to vaccinate, since the flu circulates all year round.

Why should I get the flu shot?

The flu shot helps you stay healthy and strong and can protect you and your Mob from the flu. If you are pregnant, the flu shot will also protect your bub against flu when bub is born, as they cannot get the flu shot before 6 months old. Getting the flu shot lowers the chance of needing to go to hospital if you get the flu.

Can I get the flu shot and the COVID shot at the same time?

Yes, the flu shot and COVID shot can be given at the same visit for people who are due for both. The best way to protect against both infections is to make sure you have had both shots.

Where can I get the flu shot?

Your local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Service, as well as many local chemists provide the flu shot. If you go to your GP, also ask them about any other vaccines that you may be eligible for to stay healthy.

Source: Source: National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance Australia, Sharing Knowledge About Immunisation – First Nations

Myth-busting

Myth one: The flu is not serious.

The flu is serious. Most people recover from flu, but some people develop complications including pneumonia, sinus and ear infections, and heart and brain inflammations. Flu is associated with six-fold increase in heart attacks or stroke.

The flu vaccine may reduce your risk of cardiovascular death by up to 50%.

Myth two: The flu vaccine can give me the flu.

The flu vaccine is an inactivated virus and cannot give you the flu. You may have slight side effects, such as feeling a little bit achy and tired, but this generally only lasts a day or two. There are many other viruses going around in winter, including colds, which you may get at the same time. Those are not the flu, but the symptoms can be similar.

Myth three: I got the flu vaccine and I still got the flu.

It takes two weeks for the flu vaccine to work, sometimes people get the flu before the vaccine is fully effective. This is why it’s important to get it in April or May, well before the winter season.

There are also different flu viruses and not all of them are in the vaccine, which is why some people get the flu, despite being vaccinated. The flu vaccine protects against the most likely flu viruses so it improves your chances of being protected from the flu and helps stop the spread in community.

Myth four: I’m fit and healthy, so I don’t need the flu shot.

Healthy people get the flu too, and it can make you really crook. Getting vaccinated means you will help stop the spread in community, especially to our old people, young jarjum and pregnant mums. It also helps stop you getting REALLY crook.

Myth five: I don’t think the flu vaccine is safe.

The flu shot is very safe and is recommended for everyone over 6 months old. We especially recommend that pregnant people get the flu vaccine to pass some protection onto their unborn bub. It’s safe at any stage of pregnancy.