Available from March, the new vaccine is recommended even in people who have just had the old formulation.
ATAGI has released its clinical advice for the 2023 influenza vaccinations, including an update to the virus strains included.
The only change from the 2022 protocol is an important one, with the influenza A H1N1 Sydney 2021 strain added to the mix. As a result ATAGI recommends that even patients who received a vaccine late in 2022 or early in 2023 should be vaccinated again as soon as the 2023 vaccines become available, likely from March.
Other strains included in the 2023 mix are A/Darwin/9/2021 (H3N2)-like virus, B/Austria/1359417/2021 (B/Victoria lineage)-like virus, and B/Phuket/3073/2013 (B/Yamagata lineage)-like virus.
“Flu remains a serious disease worth preventing,” Professor Robert Booy, a member of the Australian Influenza Vaccine Committee, told TMR.
“Both the influenza A H1 and H3 strains are derived from Australia, and we continue to lead the world in finding appropriate vaccine variants.
“It’s important to emphasise that it is safe to receive both the flu vaccine and a covid vaccine on the same day,” he said. The flu vaccine also continues to be safe to deliver at the same time as a pertussis vaccine, and is recommended in every pregnancy and at any stage of pregnancy.
The latest clinical advice is available here, the program advice for providers is here, and a consumer fact sheet for patients here.
