Influenza Vaccine eligibility criteria

Each year, the influenza vaccine is funded for people who meet the specific criteria set by Pharmac. If you or someone in your whānau falls into any of the groups below, you may be eligible for a free flu vaccine.

People aged 65 and over

Everyone 65 years and older is eligible for a funded flu vaccine.

People under 65

If you're under 65 years old, you may also qualify if you have: 

Have any of the following cardiovascular diseases: 

• Ischaemic heart disease, or
• Congestive heart failure, or
• Rheumatic heart disease, or
• Congenital heart disease, or
• Cerebo-vascilar disease, or

Have either of the following chronic respiratory diseases: 

• Asthma, if on a regular preventative therapy, or
• Other chronic respiratory disease with impaired lung function; or

• Have diabetes; or
• Have chronic renal disease; or
• Have any cancer, excluding basal and squamous skin cancers if not invasive; or

Have any of the following other conditions: 

• Autoimmune disease, or
• Immune suppression or immune deficiency, or
• HIV, or
• Transplant recipients, or
• Neuromuscular and CNS diseases/disorders, or
• Haemoglobinopathies, or
• Are children on long term aspirin, or
• Errors of metabolism at risk of major metabolic decompensation, or
• Pre and post splenectomy, or
• Down syndrome,

• Are pregnant; or

Children 4 years of age and under who have been hospitalised for respiratory illness or have a history of significant respiratory illness: or

People under 65 years who: 

• Have any of the following serious mental health conditions: 
  
  • Schizophrenia, or
  • Major depressive disorder, or
  • Bipolar disorder, or
  • Schizoaffective disorder, or
• Are currently accessing secondary or tertiary mental health and addiction services; or

Unless meeting the criteria set out above, the following conditions are excluded from funding

• Asthma not requiring regular preventative therapy,
• Hypertension and/or dyslipidaemia without evidence of end-organ disease.

• Contractors will be entitled to claim payment for the supply of influenza vaccine to patients eligible under the above criteria pursuant to their contract with Health NZ for subsidised immunisation, and they may only do so in respect of the influenza vaccine listed in the Pharmaceutical Schedule.
• Contractors may only claim for patient populations within the criteria that are covered by their contract, which may be sub-set of the population described in paragraph A above.

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The flu can have serious impacts, especially for those at higher risk. If you or someone in your whānau fits any of the eligibility groups listed, now is a great time to prepare for vaccination. Our team is here to support you with advice, eligibility checks, and bookings as soon as they open.