Prepare for the 2026 flu season: Influenza vaccination and immunisation updates for providers
Every year, general practices and dedicated vaccine providers help boost immunity and protect our local communities. Reminding your eligible patients that free flu vaccination is available can help minimise avoidable visits to the hospital.
Following historically low vaccine uptake in recent years, reports of the highly contagious ‘super-K’ strain of influenza (flu), and the highest cases of flu deaths in the 21st century recorded in 2025, increasing vaccination uptake remains critical in 2026 to help reduce serious illness and preventable hospitalisation.
Read on for more information and resources designed to help enhance your practice’s delivery of flu vaccinations to your patients.
Join the Queensland Health Immunisation Program for a live webinar on influenza
Date: Thursday 26 March 2026
Time: 7:30 am to 8:30 am (AEST)
Location: This is an online event (Microsoft Teams)
Meeting ID: 450 654 986 051 23
Passcode: mt6MV7WU
If you are unable to attend the webinar, a recording will be made available on the Queensland Health website. Previous QHIP webinar recordings can be accessed on this page.
See updated Queensland Health information for vaccine providers
All practices are encouraged to replace outdated information resources and to ensure practice teams are aware of the new immunisation schedules and guides.
Information on Queensland Health’s immunisation schedules and programs that have been recently updates include:
Immunisation Schedule Queensland (updated March 2026)
Queensland Health 2026 Influenza vaccination advice (updated 5 March 2026).
Reimbursement forms are now live for the:
2026 Queensland Nasal Spray Flu Immunisation Program funded for patients aged 2 to 5 years inclusive (Updated March)
ATAGI Statement on the administration of seasonal influenza vaccines in 2026
In February 2026, Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) has updated their Statement on the Administration of Seasonal Influenza Vaccines.
Key changes for 2026 as outlined in the ATAGI statement:
Intranasally administered live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV; FluMist®) is available for the first time in Australia for children aged 2 to17 years. It is available by private prescription and through individual state-based vaccination programs in Queensland.
LAIV is contraindicated for those with moderate or severe immunocompromise. More information on LAIV is provided in the Australian Immunisation Handbook Influenza chapter.
When receiving influenza vaccine for the first time, healthy children aged 6 months to <2 years and those with a medical risk condition aged 6 months to <9 years with a medical risk condition should receive 2 doses, given 4 weeks apart.
The registration age for adjuvanted influenza vaccine (Fluad®) has been extended to people aged 50 years and above. Fluad is NIP funded for people aged 65 years and above. People 50 to 64 years of age can access this through the private market.
All influenza vaccines available in Australia in 2026 are trivalent (i.e. containing two A strains and one B lineage). The B Yamagata lineage virus is no longer included in influenza vaccines as it may be extinct.
More resources and support
The latest National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS) webinar recording features the latest evidence on influenza burden and vaccination coverage, as well as practical advice to support vaccine delivery and conversations with patients. Delivered on 3 March 2026, this webinar recording is available to be viewed for free on the NCIRS website.
Read more about the 2026 Queensland Free Flu Vaccination Program, including information on the vaccine ordering process.
The Australian Immunisation Handbook provides clinical advice for health professionals on the safest and most effective use of vaccines in their practice.
Morningside General Practice successfully transformed its influenza vaccination program, achieving an impressive 298% increase in vaccinations in 2024 compared to their 2023 rates, through a concerted quality improvement activity effort involving the whole practice team with support from a Brisbane South PHN Quality Improvement Coach. Read more about how Morningside General Practice were able to achieve their results.