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Influenza activity in NSW is continuing to rise, an unusual trend for this time of year, driven mainly by influenza A.
It is never too late to vaccinate, since influenza can circulate all year round. If a patient hasn’t already had the 2025 vaccine, they can receive it at any time. Eligible patients can receive the influenza vaccine for free annually.
Health authorities note that COVID-19 and RSV remain at low levels of circulation
In 2025, influenza vaccination coverage for children aged 6 months to under 5 years was 24.4%, and children aged 0–4 years accounted for 13% of influenza notifications in NSW up to 31 October.
Ahead of the 2026 flu season, the NSW Government has announced the Intranasal Influenza Vaccination Program for children aged 2 to under 5 years, starting April 2026. Program and training details are being finalized with ATAGI, NCIRS, TGA, and the Australian Immunisation Handbook.
You can read more about the program here.
As we head into the warmer months, Australian health authorities are encouraging eligible people to take advantage of state- and territory-funded Japanese encephalitis (JE) vaccination programs.
JE, a rare but potentially fatal disease, has been detected across multiple regions across Australia since 2022, prompting targeted immunisation efforts.
In NSW, a JE virus vaccine is available for free for people aged 2 months or older who live or work in any of these 60 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and are at risk of mosquito bites. Additionally, people from certain high-risk occupations are also eligible for a free vaccine.
As it takes up to four weeks to develop immunity, timely vaccination is encouraged.
Read the full NSW Health information sheet here
Source: NCIRS Weekly Jab newsletter 21 November 2025. Subscribe here: ncirs.org.au/user/register
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