Stay safe this flu season with a free vaccination

UNSW is offering free flu vaccines, so book in now and stay safe this flu season.

Published on the 06 May 2026

Healthcare, woman and doctor with plaster, vaccination and consultation in a hospital, cure and disease. Female patient, client and medical professional with care, vaccine and injection for safety.

What is the flu?

Ah yes, the flu. It may feel like deja vu hearing stuff about the flu every year, but it's a serious illness that warrants our attention, so let's take a deep(ish) dive into it.

The flu, or influenza, is a highly contagious respiratory illness that can occur throughout the year but is more common during autumn and winter. It is spread by droplets made when infected people sneeze or cough (yes, it's kind of gross), or by touching a surface or object where virus droplets have landed.

People with the flu can be infectious from the day before any symptoms start showing. Typically, the duration of infection depends on the age of the person:

Adults are most infectious in the first 3-5 days of their illness.
Children can remain infectious for 7-10 days.
Young children and people with weakened immune systems may be infectious for longer.

Why should I be wary of the flu?

Well, no one likes getting sick and the flu isn't particularly nice to have. Symptoms of the flu include some or all of the following:

Fever and chills
Cough, sore throat and runny or stuffy nose
Muscle aches, joint pains, headaches and fatigue
Nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea (more common in children than adults).

Flu symptoms can be mild to severe, depending on the person, and typically last for a week or so. Some people can get very sick from the flu and develop serious complications, such as lung infection (pneumonia) or severe breathing difficulties that require hospitalisation.

The best line of defence against the flu and its unsavoury complications is an annual vaccination, which is recommended by NSW Health for all people aged six months and older (unless personally advised otherwise by a doctor).

Yikes, so the flu is bad and vaccinations are good?

Yes, the flu is bad. And yes, getting a vaccination is good.

What does it cost to get a flu shot?

As a UNSW student, you can get the flu shot for free!

UNSW Health Service covers the cost of the vaccine and the appointment is billed directly to Medicare or your Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC).

The National Immunisation Program (NIP) also covers the cost for your family members, partners and children if they fall under one of the following groups:

All people aged 6 months to less than 5 years
All Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 6 months and over
Pregnant women (during any stage of pregnancy)
All people aged 65 years and over
People aged 6 months and over with medical conditions that increase the risk of influenza disease complications.

Family members, partners and children who don’t fall into the categories above can still have the flu vaccination at UNSW Health Service. Medicare or OSHC will be billed directly and the current cost is just $20.

Book your flu shot

Where can I get this free flu shot?

The UNSW Health Service is the one-stop shop for all your flu shots and other health needs. It is located on the ground floor at the East Quadrangle Building.