The influenza vaccine will protect against two A and two B types of the virus in 2017
The influenza vaccine will protect against two A and two B types of the virus in 2017.
Australians have had access to the trivalent influenza vaccine for decades. But in 2015, the quadrivalent vaccine was introduced. This year only quadrivalent influenza vaccines formulations will be available.
The flu vaccine is recommended for everyone from six months of age.
It is available for free under the National Immunisation Program for people aged 65 years and over, pregnant women, people with certain medical conditions and some Aboriginal and Torres Strait people.
Dr Frank Beard, a staff specialist at The National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance, explains the different strains and lineages of the influenza virus in the following video.
The influenza virus strains included in the 2017 seasonal influenza vaccines are:
- A (H1N1): an A/Michigan/45/2015 (H1N1)pdm09* like virus
- A (H3N2): an A/Hong Kong/4801/2014 (H3N2) like virus
- B: a B/Brisbane/60/2008 like virus
- B: a B/Phuket/3073/2013 like virus
