Stay well this winter
In your language : العربية | 简体中文 | 繁體中文 | Hrvatski | فارسی | Ελληνικά | हिन्दी | Italiano | ខ្មែរ | Македонски | ਪੰਜਾਬੀ | Русский язык | Српски | Español | Türkçe | tiếng Việt
Influenza (the flu) and COVID -19 circulate all year round, but winter is particularly bad for the spread of illness.
You can help yourself stay well by:
- getting your flu and vaccination as soon as possible
- keeping 1.5 metre distance between yourself and other people
- washing or sanitising your hands often
- coughing or sneezing into your elbow
- wearing a face mask
- ensuring there is good ventilation
- staying home if you are unwell.
Doing this will help keep you and your friends, family and community well, and protect a health system which is under pressure.
What you need to know
- Vaccination against the flu is recommended for everyone aged 6 months and over.
- COVID-19 is available to everyone aged 5 and above, and the 2023 booster is available to everyone aged 18 and above.
- You can get your flu and COVID-19 vaccination at the same time.
- You can get your flu and COVID-19 vaccination from your pharmacist or doctor (GP). Pharmacists can administer the flu and COVID-19 vaccines to anyone aged 5 years and over.
- Most people can safely recover from the flu and COVID-19 at home.
- See your doctor to talk about the best care for you if you get COVID-19 or the flu this winter. This will help you get the right care, if and when you need it. Some people are eligible for prescription medicines that can reduce health complications and the need for hospitalisation with COVID-19 or the flu if taken soon after symptoms appear. Find out more from your doctor
- Your doctor is the best person to help you if you are unwell.
Flu vaccinations
To help you stay well this winter, free flu vaccinations are available for eligible priority groups.
These priority groups include:
- children aged 6 months to 5 years
- people aged 65 years old and over
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 6 months and over
- pregnant women – at any stage of pregnancy
- people aged 6 months and older with medical conditions putting them at increased risk of severe flu and its complications.
Children need special protection from the flu, especially babies and toddlers. The flu vaccine is just as important as other routine childhood vaccines and will protect them against the most common strains of the flu.
Find out more information about flu vaccinations online or speak with your doctor. If you need an interpreter, call TIS National on Tel. 131 450.
COVID vaccinations
Keeping your vaccinations up to date is important to stay well this winter.
Everyone in Australia aged 5 years and over is eligible for free COVID-19 vaccinations and the 2023 booster dose is available to everyone aged 18 and over.
Get your next dose at your local pharmacy or GP. Find one near you using the Vaccine Clinic .
More information on staying well
Reviewed on: 11-05-2023