From 1 September 2026, influenza vaccination is now funded for all children aged 6 months to under 5 years.
Previously, funding was limited to children who met certain eligibility criteria. This has now been expanded in response to high rates of influenza illness and hospitalisations among young children.
If your child is aged 6 months to under 5 years, they are now eligible for a funded flu vaccine.
How many doses will my child need?
If your child is 6 months to under 4 years and this is their first year receiving a flu vaccination, they will require 2 doses, at least 4 weeks apart.
If your child has previously received a flu vaccination, they will generally require just 1 dose this year.
It’s not too late to get vaccinated. The New Zealand flu season started later than usual and may continue for longer this year. The current flu vaccine is a good match for the influenza viruses currently circulating.
Please contact Halswellhealth reception 03 322 8121 to book your child’s vaccination or you can book via your patient portal.
We are very sad to advise that our friend and colleague Anna Swain passed away this week, surrounded by her family, following a courageous battle with motor neurone disease.
The Health Information Privacy Code has been updated with effect from 1 May 2026. The update has introduced a new Information Privacy Principal – IPP3A. This principal requires agencies to take reasonable steps to notify individuals when personal information is collected indirectly (from a third party) unless an exemption applies.
Pertussis / Whooping cough Pertussis continues to circulate in NZ and there have been several recent cases in our local area.You can read about this illness here:-https://healthify.nz/health-a-z/w/whooping-cough If you have been advised by your whānau's preschool / school that your child might have been exposed to Pertussis, please follow the advice from Public Health contained in the letter you received from your kura.If you have been advised to see your GP team, or someone in your whānau is unwell and you think it might be Pertussis, please call and speak with a nurse. If you need to be seen for an appointment, we will ask you to wear a mask and wait in a safe place to protect others. The GP will assess you/your child and, following Public Health guidelines, determine whether a swab or treatment is appropriate.
