NEW ZEALAND’S FIRST CELL-BASED INFLUENZA VACCINE

Flucelvax® Quad is available in New Zealand for the first time this flu season, for people aged 6 months and over.

Flucelvax Quad is not funded and a charge will apply.

Depending on the flu season, Flucelvax Quad has been shown to be up to 19% more effective than standard influenza vaccines at protecting you from the flu. Flucelvax Quad is produced using cell-based technology, this means the vaccine you receive is designed to be an exact match to the flu strains that are in circulation during the flu season.† Ask your healthcare professional about Flucelvax Quad today.

† May not predict a clinical effect

Why should I choose Flucelvax Quad?

OFFERS GREATER PROTECTION

Studies have shown that Flucelvax Quad provided up to 19% greater vaccine effectiveness from 3 consecutive US flu seasons, when compared to the standard flu vaccine. This means your chances of getting sick from flu or going to hospital because of it are reduced.

Is Flucelvax well tolerated?

Over 216 million doses* of Flucelvax have already been given to people around the world. It has a similar tolerability profile to standard flu vaccines, with similar side effects such as pain or swelling at the site of the injection.

* includes both trivalent and quadrivalent doses.

Flucelvax Quad is not funded

Flucelvax Quad is a flu vaccine option for people aged from 6 months of age. It is not funded so a charge will apply. However, for many people under the age of 65, the standard flu vaccine is not funded. Prices vary between clinics and pharmacies. Check with your preferred vaccinator for specific pricing details.

FAQs

It’s normal to have questions about immunisation. Here are some of the more common questions people have about flu vaccines. If your question is not on this list, or for more detailed information, please talk to your healthcare professional.

  • Your body takes a few weeks after vaccination to fully develop protection against the influenza virus.

  • Yes, because the influenza virus is constantly changing, flu vaccines need to be changed to match the strains that are most likely to arrive in New Zealand for each flu season. Added to that, protection from the vaccine does ‘wear out’ over time, which is another reason why it’s important to have your flu vaccine every year.

  • Flucelvax Quad is what is known as a ‘Quadrivalent’ vaccine, put simply, it means that the vaccine helps protect against four strains of influenza. The strains in the vaccine are chosen each year by the World Health Organisation based on modelling that predicts the strains most likely to affect the southern hemisphere.

  • Flu vaccines cause antibodies to develop in the body about two weeks after vaccination. These antibodies provide protection against infection with the viruses that are used to make the vaccine.

    If you have been vaccinated, when you come into contact with the influenza virus, your body will recognise the virus and fight against it.

  • The vaccine is given by a doctor, nurse or pharmacist, as an injection. It is administered by intramuscular injection. For infants, the injection is normally given into the muscle of the thigh.

  • Yes, you can get these at the same time. The vaccines will be administered into different limbs.

Flucelvax® Quad is an inactivated influenza vaccine, prepared in cell cultures. Flucelvax® Quad is an unfunded Prescription Medicine, charges may apply. Flucelvax® Quad is for the prevention of influenza in adults and children aged 6 months of age and older. Each dose contains 60 micrograms/0.5 mL of surface haemagglutinin and neuraminidase from four influenza virus strains, type A and B. Flucelvax® Quad has risks and benefits. Ask your doctor or healthcare professional if Flucelvax® Quad is right for you. Side effects include injection site reactions such as pain, redness, swelling or formation of hard lumps and bruising; muscle aches or joint pain; flu-like symptoms such as headache, fatigue, fever, chills, cough, sore throat, runny or blocked nose; nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and loss of appetite. Serious side effects include Guillain-Barré syndrome (feeling weak, numbness and tingling in your limbs). Tell your healthcare professional if you have ever had an allergic reaction to any vaccine or to any of the listed ingredients for Flucelvax® Quad. If you have side effects after being given Flucelvax® Quad, talk to your healthcare professional. Additional product consumer information on Flucelvax® Quad is available from www.medsafe.govt.nz; Seqirus, Auckland on 0800 502 757. Flucelvax® Quad is a registered trademark of Seqirus UK Ltd and its affiliates. Seqirus, Auckland 10/23. NZ-FLU-24-0008. TAPS NP20541. INSIGHT 12887.