Appointments are made via the online booking portal. The organisation will be provided with access to a dedicated online booking portal for the period of the program.

Yes, employees will receive a confirmation email at the time of booking. They will also receive a reminder email 24 hours before the appointment (unless the appointment is within 24 hours).

Yes, employees can modify or cancel their appointment via the online booking portal.

They should let the pharmacy know at their earliest convenience and rebook at a more suitable time using the online booking portal. There are no charges.

Unlike a conventional onsite flu clinic, program means:

• Employees can get vaccinated at a participating community pharmacy, near them, including rural and remote areas.​

• Employees can get vaccinated at a time and date that suits you instead of being limited to certain clinic dates and times. Many community pharmacies are open for extended hours including evenings and weekends.

The period of peak influenza circulation in Australia typically occurs between June and September, and it is recommended that vaccination occurs before the influenza season starts. Advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) may change slightly from year to year, but vaccination usually commences in April when vaccine stock becomes available.

Participating community pharmacies in their selected location will be listed on the booking portal.

The pharmacy will ask for proof of identity, which may include photo ID. There is no voucher or code system in place.

Vaccinations will be given by a qualified pharmacist who has completed an accredited vaccination training program. All vaccinating pharmacists hold a current First Aid and CPR certificate and a certificate in anaphylaxis management. The pharmacist will administer the vaccine in accordance with the Australian Immunisation Handbook and the standards applicable in your state or territory. Pharmacists are experienced immunisation providers and have been vaccinating in Australia since 2014.

No. As outlined in the Australian Immunisation Handbook, if the skin is visibly clean, there is no need to wipe it with an antiseptic (such as an alcohol wipe). Likewise, gloves and protective eyewear are not routinely recommended for immunisation providers. However, the pharmacist should wear gloves and eyewear if they are at risk of coming into contact with body fluids or if they have open lesions on their hands.

The Guild provides regular reports to show who has been vaccinated. If the employee has consented, a record of the immunisation will also have been uploaded to AIR, for future reference. However, if the employee wishes to keep a personal record of their vaccination, they can ask the pharmacist for a Record of Vaccination.

No. The service covers only the seasonal quadrivalent influenza vaccine. 

Influenza (the flu) is a highly contagious viral infection of the respiratory tract. It spreads from person to person through the air by coughing or sneezing or by direct contact with the virus on other surfaces (e.g. people’s hands, hard surfaces). Symptoms of influenza are more severe than those of the common cold and can result in days off work and possible hospitalisation and death. Symptoms may include tiredness, high fever, chills, headache, coughing, sneezing, running nose, poor appetite and muscle aches.(1)

Annual vaccination offers effective protection against influenza. While it does not offer 100% protection, vaccination does decrease your chance of getting influenza and also reduces the severity of the symptoms if you do catch the virus.(2) Getting vaccinated also protects those around you, including pregnant women, babies and young children, older people and people with certain chronic health conditions.

Yes. Annual vaccination is recommended as immunity from influenza vaccination does not last longer than one season. The composition of the vaccine changes each year to protect against the most recent influenza virus strains.(1)

As the influenza season normally starts in June, with the peak usually falling around August, vaccinating from April allows individuals to develop immunity before transmission of influenza is commonly at its highest.(1)

There are very few people who are unable to receive the flu vaccination, it is important that you discuss your medical history and current medications with your pharmacist or other trusted health professional to assess whether the flu vaccination is suitable for you.

The strain of circulating flu virus changes from year to year and can even drift during the same season. Because of this change, the composition of the vaccine is updated each year.
Pharmacists vaccinating as part of the Guild Program use only the most current vaccines available, which is one of the reasons appointments are not available until late March or early April when vaccines for the upcoming season are released by the Therapeutic Goods Administration. Information for the current influenza vaccine composition for Australia can be found here - https://www.tga.gov.au/aivc-recommendations-composition-influenza-vaccine-australia    

All influenza vaccines currently available in Australia are associated with a very low incidence of side effects in adults. Vaccines, like all medicines in Australia, must pass stringent safety testing before being approved for use by the Therapeutic Goods Administration.(1)

Like with any medication, some people can experience mild side effects from the vaccine. Side effects may include: pain, redness, and swelling at the injection site, low grade fever, headache or muscle aches, tiredness and generally feeling unwell. Most side effects are short- lived (6-12 hours), however, you may also experience mild influenza-like symptoms for up to 48 hours as your immune system responds to the vaccine. It is rare for a severe allergic reaction to occur.(2) If you feel unwell after your vaccination, please see you pharmacist or doctor.

No vaccine is 100% effective, however, there is much evidence to show that the influenza vaccine provides a good level of protection against the virus in healthy people.(2)  The ability of the influenza vaccine to protect you depends on numerous factors such as your age and health status, as well as how similar the ingredients of the vaccine are compared to the seasonal influenza virus to which you may be exposed.(3) It is important to remember that even when the viruses are not 100% matched, the vaccine can still offer protection and prevent influenza-related complications (e.g. medical complications or hospitalisation).(4)

No. The influenza vaccine cannot give you the flu as there is no live influenza virus in the vaccine.(1)(2)

The influenza vaccination is administered into the muscle at the top of the arm, the deltoid muscle.(2)

Yes. Vaccination is highly recommended even if you have had influenza before. There are many different strains of the influenza virus that change from year to year, so it is difficult to build immunity without a vaccination.(4)