Get prepared for 2025 influenza vaccination

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​2025 influenza vaccination campaign

​Government programs promoting the 2025​ Influenza Vaccination Program from April-May onwards ensure that people in the community are protected before winter and that providers have access to vaccine supply.

Providers may schedule clinics once supplies are received. All preparations may not be delivered at the same time.

Once vaccines are received, providers should prioritise vaccinating:

• ​children aged 6 months to less than 5 years
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 6 months and over
• pregnant women at any stage of pregnancy
• medically at-risk eligible people aged 5 to 64 years and 
• people aged 65 years and over. ​​​​

Checklist timeline

Due: Now

• Obtain access to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) through PRODA​​​, if you do not already have access. 
• Pharmacist immunisers must apply for an AIR provider number through NSW Health. 
• Immunisation providers who do not have a Vaccine Account Number (VAN) with the State Vaccine Centre will need to apply for one. 

Due: Mid-February​

• ​​Discard previous year influenza vaccine stock and record on online vaccine ordering system​​​ (note some influenza vaccines expire before March)
• Identify all children 6 months to < 5 years and at-risk patients eligible for NIP vaccination programs
• Check your fridge capacity to store the number of vaccines you will need
• Check for email (including junk folder) informing you it is time to:
• (a) check your pre-allocation order (GPs, Pharmacies and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations), or
  
• (b) order (other providers) on the online vaccine ordering system​
  
• Acknowledge your pre-allocation order on the online ordering system and revise down if you do not have adequate fridge storage space. Call the NSW Vaccine Centre on 1300 656 132 to discuss any queries.
• Contact wholesalers to order private market vaccines

Due: 1 April

​Send communications to all patients reminding them of the importance of influenza vaccination from March-April onwards.

Due: Mid-April

• ​​Check that all staff are trained in vaccine cold chain management (including receipt of vaccine deliveries). The NSW Health Vaccine Storage and Cold Chain Management online training module​​ should be used to facilitate staff education and equip staff to effectively manage the cold chain.
• ​Only order enough stock for use in a maximum 4-week period. Check software to confirm the correct batch numbers correspond with batch numbers for vaccines received.
  
• ​Send reminder messages to pre-identified patients advising of the influenza vaccination arrangements.
  
• Display influenza campaign ​posters​ in your clinic.
  

Due: Late April onwards

• Commence influenza vaccination clinics.
  
• Report all vaccinations to the AIR.
  
• ​Report all adverse events following immunisation to your local public health unit on 1300 066 055.

Due: Mid-May

• ​Review patient vaccine uptake – send reminders to patients who have not attended for vaccination. 
• Reorder vaccines according to stock on hand and residual demand, taking into consideration the amount of 2024 expired stock that you discarded at the end of last season. 
• If demand for the vaccine exceeds your last order, create a wait list for patients, so they know they can be vaccinated when you receive your next delivery.

Reporting to the Australian Immunisation Register

Mandatory reporting of all Influenza, COVID-19 and NIP vaccines to the AIR has been in place since 2021. This will ensure complete vaccination records for your patients including the availability of this information in their My Health Record.​​​ ​

How to report influenza vaccinations to the AIR

There are two ways to record information on the AIR:

1. ​use your practice/pharmacy management software (PMS). The details you enter will be able to be transferred from your PMS to the AIR. Make sure you are using the latest version of your PMS, so you have up to date vaccine codes and batch numbers (contact your software vendor for further information). Ensure you select the correct vaccine that has been given to the patient. 
2. ​use the AIR website via PRODA​​​.

PRODA 

Each individual that works in the organisation and requires AIR access will also need to register for an individual PRODA account so they can be linked to the organisation in PRODA.

For further information, visit How to register an organisation in PRODA.

To register as a vaccination provider with the AIR

Medical practitioners, midwives and nurse practitioners with a Medicare provider number are automatically recognised as an immunisation provider and authorised to record or access immunisation data on the AIR.

Other providers: Complete the IM004​​​  and submit the form to MOH-vaccreports@health.nsw.gov.au ​

Pharmacists: Follow the steps in the link below to register as a vaccination provider with the AIR: 

1. review the NSW Pharmacy Standards​
   
2. complete the form IM004 Australian Immunisation Register Application to Register as a Vaccination Provider​​​, to register the pharmacy
   
3. complete the NSW Pharmacist Declaration Form​ with the Australian Immunisation Register. Each pharmacist that will be administering vaccinations at the pharmacy must complete this form.
   
4. submit ​the completed IM004 form and NSW Pharmacist Declaration form of the Principle Pharmacist Immuniser to MOH-vaccreports@health.nsw.gov.au for processing. NSW Health will submit the approved applications to Services Australia. 

​For further information, visit Application to register as a vaccination provider with the AIR.​
​

Vaccine storage and cold chain management

Vaccines must be stored within the recommended temperature range of +2°C to +8°C and protected from light at all times. Correct storage and handling of vaccines is vital to maintaining vaccine potency and ensuring vaccines are safe and effective for patient administration. 

The National Vaccine Storage Guidelines: Strive for 5​​​ (current edition) provides information and advice for vaccine storage management. 

In the event that vaccine storage temperatures have been outside of the recommended range of +2°C to +8°C, you must follow your cold chain breach protocol. 

Vaccines may lose potency if exposed to direct sunlight or ultraviolet (UV) light. Vaccines must be stored in the purpose-built vaccine refrigerator inside their original cardboard packing to protect them from light exposure. Do not remove vaccines from their original packaging. 

All cold chain and light-exposure breaches must be reported to your local public health unit on 1300 066 055. Your public health unit will provide advice regarding vaccine disposal and cold chain management. 

For further information and resources on managing vaccine storage and cold chain breaches, including a cold chain training module for all providers, visit the NSW Health web page, Vaccine storage and cold chain management.​​