Influenza Immunisation Programme

2026 winter preparedness - quick access to resources for vaccinators

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• ‍The 2026 Winter Preparedness Kit (formerly the Flu Kit) is available for download here
• Register for our Flu and Friends 2026 webinar to prepare you for the winter immunisation rollout here
• The 2026 influenza summary of vaccines is available here
• The 2026 influenza consent form is available here
• The 2026 influenza vaccine order form is available here
• A summary of key changes for influenza and COVID-19 vaccines is available here
• The "What you need to know about the flu vaccination" leaflet is available here
• NIP Dropbox with downloadable influenza resources and forms for health care professionals can be found here

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Influenza programme

The annual Influenza Immunisation Programme is the responsibility of Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora, which sets the Programme goals and oversees implementation.

Free influenza vaccinations, using the funded influenza vaccine brand (Influvac Tetra), are available for high-risk individuals who meet Pharmac eligibility criteria (see below). Influvac Tetra can also be purchased by those who do not meet the Pharmac criteria.

A range of additional unfunded influenza vaccine brands are available.

Those not eligible for free influenza vaccination can purchase one through their general practice or a vaccinating pharmacy.

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2026 eligibility for funded influenza vaccination

Pharmac’s eligibility criteria:

• pregnant people
• people aged 65 years and over
• people aged 6 months to under 65 years with eligible conditions*
• children 4 years of age and under who have been hospitalised for respiratory illness or have a history of significant respiratory illness
• people aged 6 months to under 65 years with serious mental health and addiction conditions*

* For more details on eligibility click here.

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2026 goals and objectives

GOALS

Aged 65 years and over:

• Vaccinate 75% of the population aged 65 and over

Healthcare and disability workers:

• 80% coverage for Health New Zealand employed workers
• An increase in absolute vaccinations from 2025 for non-Health New Zealand health and disability workers

Co-administration of vaccines (new for 2026)

• 5% increase, from the previous year, in co-administration of other vaccinations with the flu vaccine in those aged 65 years at vaccination

OBJECTIVES:

• Offer influenza vaccine to all children aged between 6 months and 4 years upon hospital discharge following respiratory illness
• Offer influenza vaccine to all pregnant people 
• Offer influenza vaccine to all eligible people on discharge from hospital 
• Offer with the influenza vaccine any other vaccines people are eligible for (new for 2026)

Resources can be found on our influenza disease and vaccine pages.

‍Influenza disease
View our information on influenza disease here.
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Influenza vaccine
View influenza vaccine information and guidance here.

Supporting factsheets can be found here.

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Summary of 2026 influenza vaccines
Table of influenza vaccines is available to view here.
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‍Essential information for health professionals
View or download the 2026 Winter Preparedness Kit (formerly the Flu Kit) here.

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‍General influenza enquiries and clinical queries

For general flu enquiries, please contact influenza@auckland.ac.nz.

For clinical advice, please phone 0800 IMMUNE (0800 466 863) or email 0800immune@auckland.ac.nz

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FLU and friends 2026 webinar

IMAC and Health NZ are hosting a webinar on the winter immunisation rollout on Tuesday 10 March 2026. This webinar will provide information on the 2026 Influenza Immunisation Programme, this year's vaccines and other relevant information for vaccinators. It will also cover COVID-19 and RSV.

You can register for the webinar here.

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‍2026 Influenza Programme dates

The Influenza Immunisation Programme starts on 1 April 2026 and runs until 31 December 2026.

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Printed copies of the 2026 Winter Preparedness Kit booklet (formerly the Flu Kit)

The annual flu mailout will be completed by around mid-March to a range of organisations including general practices, pharmacies, Māori and Pacific providers, aged care facilities and private occupational health providers. Some individuals – primarily those with responsibilities to educate vaccinators or support immunisation providers - also receive copies.

Hard copies of the Winter Preparedness Kit: Vaccination for Flu, COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses - are not available to be ordered. The online version for self-printing is available here

Please email influenza@auckland.ac.nz if your organisation expected a mailout pack (ie, received one last year) but has not received it by 20 March, and we can ensure we have up-to-date postal details.

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