Don’t let flu get in the way of your plans.

You have flu vaccine choices. Talk to your health care professional about protecting yourself and which flu vaccine is right for you.

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Are COVID-19 and flu the same?

Flu symptoms are worse than a common cold1-3

Flu symptoms are usually more intense than a cold and include a runny nose or sneezing, cough or sore throat, fever and chills, headache, body aches, vomiting and diarrhoea (which is more common in children).3

Calendar illustration  showing up to 1 week
Illustration of a person depicting body ache
Body ache
Illustration of a person's head
Headache
Illustration of a person's head with emphasis on throat
Sore throat
Illustration of a thermometer
Fever
Illustration of a tired person
Fatigue
Calendar illustration  showing 2+ weeks
Illustration of a person coughing
Cough

Most flu symptoms last up to a week but coughing can continue for up to two weeks or more4

Flu can be very serious5

While most people have fairly mild flu symptoms, for some people, flu is a serious disease that can lead to hospitalisation and sometimes even death.1,5 It can cause bronchitis, croup, pneumonia, ear infections, heart and other organ damage, brain inflammation and brain damage.1

163,000 cases of flu were detected in Australia each year between 2015 and 2020.6

1,500,000 workdays are estimated to be lost each year to flu and its associated complications.7

Who is at most risk?1,8

Some people are at greater risk of flu and its complications, including children aged 6 months to under 5 years and adults over 65 years of age.1,9

People with a comorbidity may have up to 2.5x increased risk of death from flu8

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Flu is not the same as a common cold – flu symptoms tend to be more intense.

It is very difficult to distinguish between the symptoms of COVID-19, influenza and a cold. If you have any infectious or respiratory symptoms self-isolate yourself, follow your state or territory guidelines about COVID-19 testing and contact your healthcare professional for further advice.

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