1. Each year in Australia the flu causes an average of 13,500 hospitalisations and over 3,000 deaths.
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2. The flu shot is safe for all Australians, including pregnant women at all stages of their pregnancy.
The vaccine is tested before being approved by the .![vaccination](https://images.sbs.com.au/drupal/yourlanguage/public/17fa39b8-db81-4f65-ae6b-622b15c72116.jpeg?imwidth=1280)
![vaccination](https://images.sbs.com.au/drupal/yourlanguage/public/17fa39b8-db81-4f65-ae6b-622b15c72116.jpeg?imwidth=1280)
Health care worker Sue King gives a flu vaccination injection to fellow worker Vanessa Whatmough at the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne (AAP Image/David Source: AAP
3. Each year the flu vaccine is changed to protect against recent flu strains.
![testing](https://images.sbs.com.au/drupal/yourlanguage/public/006a2a17-8521-4a2c-86fc-7b4082650d80.jpeg?imwidth=1280)
Science/medical lab generic stock images. Tuesday, May 14, 2013. (AAP Image/David Crosling) NO ARCHIVING Source: AAP
4. Flu shots are free for people at highest risk.
These include:
people aged 65 years and over; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 6 months to 5 years and aged 15 years and over; pregnant women; and people with a listed chronic disease
![elder](https://images.sbs.com.au/drupal/yourlanguage/public/0945100c-ad28-49b0-b167-9167c63548d2.jpeg?imwidth=1280)
File photo dated 05/12/08 of the hands of an elderly woman. John Stillwell/PA Wire Source: Press Association
5. The 2016 flu shot is available in April from GPs and other immunisation providers.
![vaccination](https://images.sbs.com.au/drupal/yourlanguage/public/99e99b61-706e-45d7-a946-dedc37cce3e9_1510698433.jpeg?imwidth=1280)
Source: AAP