The annual national seasonal influenza vaccination program began this month.
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New Southern NSW Local Health District chief executive Janet Compton was at the South East Regional Hospital on Wednesday promoting this season’s flu vaccination – and getting a shot for herself.
She said she gets the vaccination every year as “it’s the single most effective way of preventing the spread of flu in the community”.
“And you absolutely can not get the flu from the flu vaccination,” Ms Compton assured the public.
Kelly Row from the SERH Infection Prevention and Control team said Ms Compton was her 76th recipient of the day.
The vaccine this year contains four virus strains and is available from your GP.
The flu vaccine is available free under the National Immunisation Program for those people who are at greatest risk of becoming severely ill from flu.
People at high risk of complications who qualify for the free vaccine are pregnant women; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people; people 65 years and over; people with certain medical conditions including heart disease, severe asthma, chronic illness, impaired immunity or diabetes; and children aged six months to 10 years on long-term aspirin therapy.