Influenza immunisation programme

All influenza vaccinations commence on 2 April 2024. 

Māori and Pacific peoples have a high incidence of pre-existing health conditions that place them at heightened risk of hospitalisation and death from influenza. Ensure your immunisation recall processes recognise Māori and Pasifika whānau as a priority population.

2024 eligibility for funded influenza vaccination

Pharmac’s eligibility criteria:

• pregnant people
• people aged 65 years and over
• people aged 6 months to under 65 years with eligible conditions*
• people aged 6 months to under 65 years with serious mental health and addiction conditions*.

2024 influenza vaccines  

‍There are five quadrivalent influenza vaccines for 2024.

Brands: Influvac Tetra, Flucelvax Quad, Fluad Quad, FluQuadri, Afluria Quad.

Funded

• Influvac Tetra: Approved for use in children and adults, 6 months of age and over. Funded for those who meet Pharmac eligibility criteria. Can also be purchased by those not meeting funding criteria.

Not funded

• Flucelvax Quad (Sequirs): Unfunded only, approved for use in children and adults, 6 months of age and over.
• Fluad Quad (Sequirs): Unfunded only, approved for use in adults age 65 years and older.
• Afluria Quad (Sequirs): Unfunded only, approved for use in children and adults, 3 years of age and over. 
• Fluquadri (Sanofi): Unfunded only, approved for use in children and adults, 6 months of age and over.

All vaccines available on the national immunisation schedule can be offered at the same time as an influenza vaccination. An additional vaccination co-administration payment will be applied from (and including) 2 April 2024 to 31 December 2024 for the following vaccine events. Please see the IMAC influenza webpage for more clinical information on spacing with other vaccines.

• A funded influenza vaccine administered to a pregnant person also receiving a Boostrix Tdap vaccine – correct indication code must be entered into your PMS for the pregnant person in order to trigger payment. Influenza-Boostrix vaccine co-administration payments will be paid automatically on a monthly basis starting from May 2024.
• A vaccine coadministration fee is also payable if a funded influenza and a shingles vaccine are administered at the same time (as per the national general practice and community pharmacy agreements).
• The COVID-19 vaccination administration remains a stand-alone payment. If another scheduled vaccine is administered at the same event as a COVID-19 vaccine, two administration fees will be paid. 

If you are a non-Te Whatu Ora district employer of health and disability staff who have patient contact, and are not eligible for a funded influenza vaccine, you are entitled to claim back up to $35 + GST for the cost of an influenza vaccination delivered to each staff member. This is managed through the Te Whatu Ora reimbursement portal which opens from 2 April 2024 until 11 October 2024. For full details visit the Te Whatu Ora website. 

A standing order template (standing orders resource page linked below) is available for administration of the flu vaccine by a registered nurse who is not an authorised independent vaccinator.

Now is a good time to review your Standing Order and ensure all users are up to date in their training and knowledge of use. For more information on Standing Orders please refer to our Pinnacle Standing Orders resource page.

Visit the IMAC influenza website for all information relating to the 2024 influenza vaccination programme.

For queries contact the Pinnacle nurse leads at nursing@pinnacle.health.nz or email the Ministry of Health immunisation team at influenzaimmunisation@health.govt.nz.