Question 1

Who is eligible for the free MMR catch-up program?

Accepted Answer

Who is eligible for the free MMR catch-up program?, see the website for the full answer.

Question 2

How old do you have to be? Do you vaccinate children?

Accepted Answer

Under current Victorian regulations our pharmacist immunisers can vaccinate anyone aged 5 and over. Some vaccines (dTpa, MMR, meningococcal ACWY) have age-16+ restrictions in the pharmacy setting. Children under 5 are best vaccinated by their GP, paediatrician, or local council immunisation service.

Question 3

Do I need an appointment?

Accepted Answer

For walk-in vaccinations at Priceline Pharmacy Sunshine Marketplace, no, walk in any time during opening hours, 7 days a week (Mon–Wed 8am–5:30pm, Thu–Fri 8am–8pm, Sat 9am–5pm, Sun 10am–5pm). Booking online guarantees a faster turnaround and lets you complete consent forms ahead of time. Workplace, aged-care and school programs are by booking only.

Question 4

Do I need a Medicare card or referral?

Accepted Answer

No referral is needed for any vaccine we deliver. A Medicare card is helpful for NIP-funded vaccines (so the dose can be claimed under your record), but it is not required for the free MMR catch-up or for private vaccinations. Bring your card if you have one.

Question 5

How much do vaccinations cost?

Accepted Answer

Vaccines on the National Immunisation Program (NIP) are free for eligible people, as is the Victorian MMR catch-up (ages 20–59). Private vaccines, including influenza (where not workplace-funded), travel vaccines, shingles for those under the funded age, and some others, are charged per dose. Call (03) 9364 7133 for current pricing on specific vaccines before booking.

Question 6

Is there a service fee on top of the vaccine cost?

Accepted Answer

Some vaccinations incur a $20.00 service fee in addition to the cost of the vaccine itself. The service fee covers the pre-vaccination screening, administration, post-vaccination observation, and AIR submission performed by the AHPRA-registered pharmacist immuniser. NIP-funded vaccinations for eligible patients (including the free MMR catch-up for adults 20–59) are not charged a service fee. Workplace, aged-care and school program pricing is agreed in advance through the service agreement. Call (03) 9364 7133 to confirm the total for your specific vaccine before booking.

Question 7

What should I bring to my appointment?

Accepted Answer

Photo ID, Medicare card if you have one, and your previous immunisation record (especially for catch-ups or travel consults). For under-16 patients, a parent or guardian must attend to consent. For workplace clinics, your employer will usually provide a voucher or confirmation.

Question 8

Why do I have to wait 15 minutes after my vaccination?

Accepted Answer

The Australian Immunisation Handbook requires a minimum 15-minute observation period after every vaccination. The vast majority of immediate reactions, if they occur, happen within this window, and we are equipped to respond immediately, including anaphylaxis management. Please do not drive or operate machinery during the observation period.

Question 9

Are there any contraindications? When should I not be vaccinated?

Accepted Answer

Under the Australian Immunisation Handbook there are only two absolute contraindications that apply to all vaccines: a history of anaphylaxis to a previous dose of the same vaccine, or anaphylaxis to a component of that vaccine. Many other conditions (mild illness, allergies, immunosuppression) are not absolute contraindications and your immuniser will work through these with you as part of the pre-vaccination screening checklist.

Question 10

What if I have an adverse reaction after I leave?

Accepted Answer

What if I have an adverse reaction after I leave?, see the website for the full answer.

Question 11

Can I get vaccinated if I am pregnant?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and several vaccines are specifically recommended in pregnancy: influenza (any trimester), dTpa (whooping cough, ideally 20–32 weeks each pregnancy) and RSV vaccination (typically 28–36 weeks). Live vaccines (e.g. MMR, varicella) are not given in pregnancy. We will confirm what is appropriate for your stage of pregnancy at the consult.

Question 12

Can I get vaccinated if I am unwell, or have an allergy?

Accepted Answer

Mild illness (cold, runny nose, low fever) is not a reason to delay vaccination. A high fever or significant acute illness may be, your immuniser will assess. If you have a history of severe allergy or anaphylaxis (to anything, not just vaccines), tell us before your appointment so we can plan an appropriate observation and response.

Question 13

How do I access my immunisation record?

Accepted Answer

How do I access my immunisation record?, see the website for the full answer.

Question 14

Does AIR show vaccines I had overseas or as a child before AIR existed?

Accepted Answer

AIR routinely holds vaccines given in Australia since 1996 for children, and since 2016 for all ages. Vaccines given overseas can be added by a GP or immuniser after you provide evidence (translated where needed). Bring whatever record you have, yellow book, lab serology, etc., and we will help reconcile it.

Question 15

How do workplace vaccination programs work?

Accepted Answer

We come to you. After an enquiry we map your headcount, preferred dates, eligible vaccines (typically flu, COVID-19 boosters, dTpa) and any reporting requirements. We then handle online consent, vaccine delivery to your site, on-the-day immuniser staffing, post-clinic AIR submission and a summary report. Minimum 15 staff for on-site clinics; smaller workplaces can use vouchers redeemable at our Sunshine pharmacy.

Question 16

How do you support ACQSC-compliant aged care vaccination?

Accepted Answer

From 1 November 2025, the Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards (Standards 4 and 5) require providers to operate a documented infection-prevention and immunisation system covering residents, workers and visitors. We deliver compliant clinics for residents (influenza, pneumococcal, COVID-19, shingles where eligible), supply cold-chain and consent documentation, capture AIR-reportable data and provide a post-clinic compliance pack you can hand directly to your assessor.

Question 17

How does the school program work?

Accepted Answer

The Victorian Secondary School Immunisation Program is council-delivered. We support secondary colleges and parents with catch-up vaccinations for students who missed the school clinic, typically HPV and dTpa in Year 7 and meningococcal ACWY in Year 10. Catch-up can happen at our Sunshine pharmacy or, by arrangement, on-site.

Question 18

How long does an appointment take?

Accepted Answer

Pre-vaccination screening and consent: 5–10 minutes. Vaccination itself: 1–2 minutes per dose. Mandatory observation: 15 minutes. Allow 25–30 minutes door to door for a single-dose visit, longer if you are receiving multiple vaccines or completing a travel consult.

Question 19

What is your cancellation policy?

Accepted Answer

Please give us at least 24 hours’ notice if you can’t make it, no cancellation fee. Repeated no-shows may require a phone re-booking. Workplace and aged-care bookings are governed by the service agreement.

Question 20

What languages do you support? Is interpreter help available?

Accepted Answer

We can arrange a free interpreter via the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National, 131 450) during your appointment. Easy-read consent forms are available on request. Companions and carers are welcome.

Question 21

What vaccination services are available?

Accepted Answer

What vaccination services are available?, see the website for the full answer.

Question 22

How do I make an appointment?

Accepted Answer

How do I make an appointment?, see the website for the full answer.

Question 23

How do I pay for the vaccination service?

Accepted Answer

Payment is taken at the pharmacy at the time of service. We accept cash, EFTPOS, Visa, Mastercard, and contactless payment. Workplace, aged-care and school programs are invoiced to the organisation under the service agreement.

Question 24

Do I need to pay before attending my appointment?

Accepted Answer

No, the online booking itself is free. You pay at the pharmacy on the day, after your immuniser has confirmed eligibility and any service fee (where applicable). NIP-funded vaccinations for eligible patients, including the free MMR catch-up, are no charge.

Question 25

What if I have a voucher code?

Accepted Answer

Bring it with you, digital or printed. Vouchers from workplace clinics, the Victorian MMR program, employer health programs, and similar schemes are applied at the pharmacy before payment is processed. Tell the team at reception when you check in.

Question 26

How do I change or cancel my appointment?

Accepted Answer

Call (03) 9364 7133 or reply to your booking confirmation email. We appreciate at least 24 hours’ notice where possible, but there is no cancellation fee. If you need to reschedule on the day, just let us know, walk-in capacity is usually available.

Question 27

What happens if I don’t have a valid Medicare card?

Accepted Answer

You can still be vaccinated. A Medicare card is helpful for some NIP-funded vaccines (so the dose can be claimed under your record), but it is not required for the free MMR catch-up for adults aged 20–59. For other vaccines where you would normally be NIP-eligible but have no Medicare card, the vaccine may be charged at the private price. Either way, the vaccination is still recorded on the Australian Immunisation Register against your name and date of birth.

Question 28

What happens during the appointment?

Accepted Answer

After check-in you will move to a private consultation area. Your immuniser confirms your identity, runs the pre-vaccination screening checklist from the Australian Immunisation Handbook, answers any questions, and obtains valid consent. The injection itself takes a few seconds. You then wait in the observation area for 15 minutes. Before you leave we provide written after-care advice and submit your record to the Australian Immunisation Register.

Question 29

What do I do if I miss my appointment?

Accepted Answer

Just call us and we will reschedule, no penalty for a first miss. Repeated no-shows within a 12-month window may require a phone re-booking rather than online. For workplace, aged-care and school clinics, missed appointments are handled under the service agreement, contact us to arrange a catch-up.

Question 30

Do I receive a record of the vaccination service?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You receive a printed or emailed receipt at the pharmacy summarising the encounter, plus your record is submitted to the Australian Immunisation Register within 24 hours. For workplace clients, we issue a de-identified clinic-summary report to the organisation after the clinic. Individual employee records are never shared without the employee’s consent.

Question 31

How do I download a Tax Invoice?

Accepted Answer

A tax invoice is emailed automatically after your appointment if you provided an email at booking. If you didn’t, or you’ve lost it, call (03) 9364 7133 or email info@immunisationhub.au with your name and the appointment date and we will reissue it. For workplace and aged-care invoicing, your finance contact will receive an invoice under the service agreement.

Question 32

How do I access my Certificate of Vaccination?

Accepted Answer

How do I access my Certificate of Vaccination?, see the website for the full answer.

Question 33

Will my immunisation be recorded on the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR)?

Accepted Answer

Will my immunisation be recorded on the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR)?, see the website for the full answer.

Question 34

Who has access to my personal information obtained during the vaccination process?

Accepted Answer

Who has access to my personal information obtained during the vaccination process?, see the website for the full answer.

Question 35

What is the flu (influenza)?

Accepted Answer

Influenza is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It is more severe than the common cold and can lead to pneumonia, hospitalisation and death, particularly in older adults, young children, pregnant people and those with chronic medical conditions.

Question 36

What are the symptoms of the flu?

Accepted Answer

Typical symptoms include sudden high fever, severe muscle and body aches, dry cough, fatigue and exhaustion, headache, sore throat, and sometimes nausea or chills. Onset is usually rapid, you feel well one moment and seriously unwell within hours. Symptoms typically last 5–7 days, though fatigue and cough can persist for weeks.

Question 37

How is the flu different from a cold?

Accepted Answer

A cold has a gradual onset, predominantly runny nose, sneezing and mild sore throat, and rarely causes fever in adults. The flu has a sudden onset, prominent fever, severe body aches and significantly worse fatigue. Colds rarely require time off work; the flu typically requires 3–5 days. Only laboratory testing can confirm the difference with certainty.

Question 38

How is the flu spread?

Accepted Answer

Mainly through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks. The virus also survives on surfaces for hours, so contaminated hands then touching the face is a common transmission route. People are infectious from the day before symptoms appear until about a week later.

Question 39

How can I prevent getting and spreading the flu?

Accepted Answer

Annual vaccination is the most effective single measure. Other steps that help: cover coughs and sneezes (elbow, not hand), wash hands regularly, stay home from work or school when you have symptoms, avoid close contact with vulnerable people while infectious, and don’t share cups or cutlery. Masks reduce spread when worn correctly.

Question 40

Why should I have a flu vaccination?

Accepted Answer

Annual flu vaccination reduces your chance of getting influenza, and if you do get it, reduces severity, hospitalisation risk and time off work. It also protects the people around you who are at higher risk, infants, older adults, pregnant people, immunocompromised people, by reducing community transmission.

Question 41

Who should not have a flu vaccination?

Accepted Answer

Very few people. The only absolute contraindications under the Australian Immunisation Handbook are a history of anaphylaxis to a previous flu vaccine or to any component. People who are acutely unwell with high fever should generally defer until they recover. Egg allergy is no longer a contraindication for current flu vaccines, your immuniser will assess and reassure.

Question 42

How long does it take for the flu vaccination to work?

Accepted Answer

Most people develop protective antibodies within 10–14 days of vaccination. Protection lasts the flu season but wanes over time, which is one reason annual vaccination is recommended.

Question 43

When is the best time to have a flu vaccination?

Accepted Answer

Between April and June in Australia, so your immunity peaks as flu season ramps up (typically June through September). It is not too late to vaccinate later in the season if you have missed the autumn window, the flu virus circulates well into spring.

Question 44

What are the different types of flu vaccine?

Accepted Answer

Three main formulations are used in Australia. (1) Standard quadrivalent injection, the most common; covers four influenza strains predicted for the season. (2) Enhanced influenza vaccine, a higher-dose formulation funded under the NIP for adults aged 65 and over to overcome immune ageing. (3) Live attenuated nasal-spray formulation for eligible age groups who prefer a needle-free option. Your immuniser confirms which one is appropriate for you on the day, in line with the Therapeutic Goods Advertising Code we don’t name specific brands here.

Question 45

Which flu vaccine will be used for me?

Accepted Answer

It depends on your age, eligibility under the NIP, and any clinical considerations (pregnancy, immunocompromise, allergy history). Your pharmacist immuniser confirms the specific vaccine during the pre-vaccination consultation. Adults aged 65 and over routinely receive the enhanced higher-dose formulation under the NIP.

Question 46

How effective is the flu vaccine?

Accepted Answer

Effectiveness varies year to year depending on the match between the vaccine strains and the circulating viruses. In well-matched seasons, vaccination reduces the chance of medically attended influenza by around 40–60% in healthy working-age adults, and reduces hospitalisation more substantially. Even in poorly matched seasons, vaccination reduces severity.

Question 47

Why does the flu vaccine change every year?

Accepted Answer

Influenza viruses mutate quickly. Each year, the World Health Organization predicts which strains are most likely to circulate in the upcoming Southern Hemisphere season, and vaccine manufacturers produce a new formulation to match. That is why annual vaccination is needed even if you were vaccinated last year.

Question 48

What vaccine should I receive if I am aged 65 years and older?

Accepted Answer

The enhanced (higher-dose) influenza vaccine, designed specifically for older adults whose immune response to standard vaccines is reduced by age. It is free under the National Immunisation Program for everyone aged 65 and over. Adults aged 65 and over can also discuss co-administration with pneumococcal, shingles, and RSV vaccinations with their immuniser.

Question 49

Are there side effects of the flu vaccine?

Accepted Answer

Most are mild and resolve within 1–2 days. Common: soreness, redness or swelling at the injection site; mild fatigue; low-grade fever. Less common: mild muscle aches, headache. Serious side effects, including anaphylaxis, are rare (around 1 in 1,000,000 doses) and are why we observe you for 15 minutes after vaccination.

Question 50

Is the flu vaccine safe in pregnancy?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Influenza vaccination is recommended in any trimester of pregnancy, both to protect the pregnant person (who is at higher risk of severe flu) and to pass protective antibodies to the baby for the first months of life. It is funded free under the National Immunisation Program in every pregnancy.

Question 51

Who is eligible for a free flu vaccine under the National Immunisation Program?

Accepted Answer

Children aged 6 months to under 5 years. All Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 6 months and over. Anyone aged 5 and over with a chronic medical condition (cardiac, respiratory, renal, neurological, immune, metabolic including diabetes). People who are pregnant, in any trimester. Adults aged 65 and over (who receive the enhanced higher-dose vaccine). Your immuniser confirms eligibility on the day.

Question 52

When should I get my flu shot this year?

Accepted Answer

From April when this year’s vaccines arrive in Australia. Aim to be vaccinated by the end of May to maximise protection through peak flu season (June–September). If you miss that window, vaccination later in the season is still worthwhile, the virus continues to circulate.

Question 53

Is a nasal spray flu vaccine available?

Accepted Answer

Yes, a live attenuated nasal-spray formulation of influenza vaccine is available in Australia for eligible age groups. It is a needle-free option for people who qualify under the manufacturer’s registered indications. Your immuniser confirms eligibility and the specific product on the day; we don’t name brands publicly under the Therapeutic Goods Advertising Code.

Question 54

Where can I get further information about flu?

Accepted Answer

Where can I get further information about flu?, see the website for the full answer.

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