Influenza

Influenza (flu) can be a serious illness and poses a significant public health issue in New Zealand.

Immunisation provides the best protection against influenza, and demand for the vaccine in New Zealand is increasing. Getting a flu vaccine helps reduce your risk of getting really sick or having to go to hospital.

About the flu vaccine
Book a flu vaccine

The National Immunisation Programme of Te Whatu Ora is responsible for implementing the Influenza Immunisation Programme.

Pharmac are responsible for setting the eligibility criteria for funded flu vaccines in Aotearoa New Zealand each year. Detailed information of who is eligible for a free vaccination can be found on the Pharmac website.

Free flu eligibility criteria – Pharmac

The programme goals for the 2023 Influenza Immunisation season

• Vaccinate 75% of the population aged 65 and over.
• Vaccinate 75% of Māori and Pacific people aged 55 and over.
• Eliminate the equity gap for all eligible Māori and Pacific people.
• Vaccinate 80% for the district employed health workforce.
• Increase the total number of non-district employed health and disability workers.

Vaccine supply

There are 1.8 million doses of influenza vaccines available in Aotearoa New Zealand in 2023 and there are 4 types of quadrivalent influenza vaccines.

• AFLURIA® QUAD JUNIOR is funded and approved for use in children aged 6–35 months.
• Due to mid-season exhaustion of AFLURIA® QUAD JUNIOR stock, from 1 July 2023, FLUQUADRI™ is also funded and approved for use in children aged 6-35 months.
• AFLURIA® QUAD is funded and approved for use in children and adults aged from 3 years.
• FLUAD® QUAD is unfunded only, approved for use in adults aged 65 years or older.

For more information visit:

Influenza information for health professionals – IMAC

Non-District Health and Disability Workers Influenza Reimbursement Portal Setup Guide (pdf, 882 KB)

Non-District Employees

One of the National Immunisation Programmes goals is to increase the non-district employed health and disability workers vaccinated annually for influenza.

To support this goal the National Immunisation Programme will reimburse eligible employers of non-district health and disability workers to claim for the cost of vaccinating their staff against influenza via the Reimbursement Portal.

See the list of organisations that can come to your workplace to vaccinate your staff(pdf, 184 KB).

The World Health Organization strongly recommends healthcare workers as a priority group for influenza vaccination, not only for their own protection and ability to maintain services but also to reduce the spread of influenza to vulnerable patients, including those who are pregnant.

Manatū Hauora and Te Whatu Ora recommends health and disability workers receive an annual influenza vaccination because influenza is a significant health issue in Aotearoa New Zealand.

District Employees

One of the National Immunisation Programme goals is that 80 percent of New Zealand’s district health care workers are immunised against influenza each year. As with previous years, districts are running influenza vaccination programmes for their staff. Please contact your Health & Safety representative for details.

Non-District Employees

One of the National Immunisation Programmes goals is to increase the non-district employed health and disability workers vaccinated annually for influenza.

To support this goal the National Immunisation Programme will reimburse eligible employers of non-district health and disability workers to claim for the cost of vaccinating their staff against influenza via the Reimbursement Portal.

About the Reimbursement Portal

The reimbursement scheme will be available from 4 April 2023 to 13 October 2023.

Reimbursement is available for non-district health and disability sector employees, self-employed lead maternity carers, and carers employed under individualised funding arrangements who:   

• provide a health and/or disability service
• have direct patient/client contact 
• are not eligible for a publicly funded influenza vaccine

Occupational categories eligible for the non-district Health and Disability Influenza Reimbursement.   

• Addiction practitioner (DAPAANZ) 
• Chiropractor 
• Dietitian 
• Medical Radiation Technologist 
• Medical Scientist/Technician 
• Occupational therapist 
• Optometrist/Dispensing Optician 
• Oral health practitioner 
• Osteopath 
• Māori health provider
• Pacific health provider
• Paramedics/Ambulance Officers/ Emergency Medical Technicians 
• Pharmacist 
• Physiotherapist 
• Podiatrist 
• Psychologist 
• Psychotherapist (all scopes) 
• Social worker 
• Clinical Physiologist 
• Medical Physicists 
• Counsellor (non-regulated) 
• Scientist or Technician (non-regulated) 
• Therapist (non-regulated) 
• Other Allied Health (non-regulated) 
• Aged or Disabled Carer 
• Personal Care Assistant 
• Health Assistant 
• Community Worker 
• Other Care and Support Workers 
• General Practice specialists 
• Senior Medical Officers/Specialists (non-GP, non-UC) 
• Other (including Resident Medical Officers)
• Midwife 
• Enrolled nurse 
• Nurse practitioner 
• Registered nurse  
• Whaikaha Service Providers 

If you are unsure if your organisation qualifies for reimbursement, please contact us via immunisation@health.govt.nz  

Employers should submit one invoice for all of their eligible employees, or for themselves if they are a self-employed contactor, via the online reimbursement portal.

Please use this invoice template:

• Tax invoice template (Word, 36 KB) 

Employers can claim costs incurred for influenza vaccination, as supported by appropriate documentation, to a maximum of $35+GST per person vaccinated. 

If the employer does not already have a reimbursement portal account from 2022, please follow the sign-up steps in the user guide below. These steps include providing proof of bank account to immunisation@health.govt.nz.

We aim to process reimbursements within 2 months from receipt of a completed valid claim.