At Saltwater Medical we believe strongly in the importance of preventative health, which is why we recommend the 2019 flu vaccine for all patients over 6 months of age.
This year, the 2019 flu vaccine will once again be available to our existing patients in our dedicated Saltwater Medical flu vaccination clinics.
When is the best time to get my vaccination?
The latest evidence suggests protection from the flu vaccine begins to wane 3-4 months after it is administered, and that peak flu season is again expected to be in August this year. For these reasons, timing of your vaccine is important, which is why we’re scheduling our vaccination clinics in April and May this year.
Convenient Thursday afternoon and Saturday morning flu vaccination clinics
We know it can be tricky to get into the practice during the week, and to make the process more efficient and keep consultation costs down for our valued patients, we’re offering you a choice of dedicated Thursday afternoon or Saturday morning vaccination clinics on the following dates:
- Saturday 13 April | 8am-12pm
- Thursday 2 May | 2pm-6pm
- Saturday 4 May | 8am-12pm
- Thursday 9 May | 2pm-6pm
- Thursday 23 May | 2pm-6pm
Private vaccine stocks are strictly limited, so get in early and book your appointment today.
How much does it cost?
There are two components to the cost of the service:
- Consultation fee– the consultation fee is $17.20, but your Medicare rebate will reimburse all of this (usually on the spot) via our TYRO machine
- Vaccine consumable fee– patients who meet the government eligibility criteria will get the vaccine consumable for free. If you are not eligible for the free vaccine consumable, we will have a limited number of private vaccinations in stock, which you can purchase directly from us for $22.
| Patient Category | Consult Fee | Medicare rebate | Vaccine Consumable | Your total out-of-pocket cost | |
| Patients eligible for GVT funded vaccine (see the table below) | $17.20 | $17.20 | $0.00 | $0 | |
| Private patients (not eligible for GVT funded vaccine) | $17.20 | $17.20 | $22.00 | $22 |
Eligibility criteria for the free 2019 government funded vaccine
In 2019, the following people are eligible to get the influenza vaccine consumable for free under the National Immunisation Program (NIP):
- Children aged between 6 months to less than 5 years
- People aged 65 years and over
- Pregnant people
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait people aged six months and over
- People with medical conditions that can lead to complications from influenza (e.g. severe asthma, lung or heart disease, low immunity or diabetes)
Talk to your Doctor if you’re unsure whether you qualify for the government funded vaccine.
Government funded vaccine stock delivery date
The government funded vaccine stock is expected to be delivered to our surgery in mid-April, although, there is no confirmed delivery date. However, we will have private vaccine stock available for purchase directly from Saltwater Medical from the end of March 2019.
Purchasing a private vaccine from Saltwater Medical
For your convenience, we are holding some private vaccine stock on site this year. If you’re not eligible for the government funded vaccine, you can purchase one directly from us for $22.
How to book
Bookings are limited and can be made by contacting reception on 5301 9828. Unfortunately, we are unable to offer online bookings for our flu vaccination clinics.
Want more information about the flu vaccine?
Download a copy of our Saltwater Medical 2019 flu vaccination information sheet here. It’s full of up-to-the-minute information about influenza, how the vaccine works and the actual composition of this year’s vaccinations.