FAQ – General Booking Questions

Better Value Pharmacy offer a flu vaccination service for people who are 10 years of age and older.

For further details please refer to the specific vaccination service pages.
 

At Better Value Pharmacy, we won't be beaten on the price of vaccines and vaccination services.

The cost of vaccination services provide by Better Value Pharmacy will vary depending on the type of vaccine you are receiving.  

Vaccines covered by the National Immunisation Program (NIP) and specific State/Territory immunisation programs are free for eligible people, however, not all pharmacies or pharmacist immunisers have access to these NIP vaccines.

Your pharmacist can provide more information.

To make an appointment go to the vaccination services page on the Better Value Pharmacy website (click here) and use our online booking system:

• Choose the vaccination service you require
• Enter your suburb or postcode
• Select your nearest participating pharmacy
• Select an available date and time for your booking
• Enter your contact details, Medicare number, GP details etc
• Pay for your vaccination service by credit card (if you have a voucher code see FAQ "What if I have a voucher code?" below)

Payment is made online by VISA or Mastercard (credit or debit card).

If your employer is participating in our corporate vaccination program they will issue you with a voucher code; This can be used in place of a credit card payment and must be entered at the time of booking into the 'Discounted By' section after entering your Last Name.

If you do not have a VISA or Mastercard credit/debit card or a voucher code, please contact your nearest participating pharmacy for information.

Yes, most vaccination services appointments will require pre-payment, unless you are using a corporate voucher.

Where a price is advertised, payment must be made at the time of making your appointment. Our online booking portal allows for easy payment by credit card.

Once your booking has been placed and payment made, you will receive a confirmation email with your appointment details. This will also have the details required for a tax receipt.

If you do not have a credit card, please contact your nearest participating pharmacy for information.

For services listed as 'payment required at time of appointment', the pharmacist will determine during the consultation which vaccine brand is appropriate for you, and advise of the cost during the appointment.

If you miss your scheduled appointment for any reason, you must contact the pharmacy where your vaccination was scheduled. The pharmacy details can be found on your booking confirmation e-mail.

If you contact the pharmacy within 24 hours of the missed appointment, pharmacy staff can attempt to reschedule your appointment over the phone. Rescheduling missed appointments is subject to booking availability.

Bookings for vaccination services may require a valid Medicare card. This depends on the State or Territory legislative requirements. If you require a valid Medicare card, you will be prompted when making the booking.  Enter the Medicare card number at the time of booking and bring the card to your appointment. 

If you do not have a Medicare card, select 'No' where it says 'Do you have a valid Medicare card?' and the website will advise if you can proceed with the booking or not. 

If you hold a valid Medicare card, you should bring a copy to your appointment. It is also important to bring another form of photo ID so the pharmacist can verify your details prior to vaccination.

You will also be email a pre-vaccination checklist & consent form to complete. You should ensure this has been completed & submitted prior to arriving to the pharmacy for your appointment. 

We recommend you arrive 5 minutes prior to your appointment time. When you arrive, proceed to the registration desk.

You will receive Pre-vaccination Screening and Consent Form via email 72 hours prior to your vaccine with your appointment reminder.  We ask you to complete this electronically prior to arriving for your vaccination appointment.  If you cannot do this, the pharmacy will either be able to assist you to complete the form electronically, or there will be additional paper copies in the pharmacy. Access to information about the vaccine (Consumer Medicines Information leaflet) will be provided for you to read in store. 

The vaccination service will be provided in a private consultation area.

A trained pharmacist, nurse or doctor will discuss your Pre-vaccination Screening and Consent Form and answer any questions you may have.  They will then administer the vaccine if safe and appropriate.

You are required to remain within the pharmacy, near the immuniser, for a further 15-minute observation period to monitor for the unlikely event of an adverse reaction to the vaccine.

You should expect to be in the pharmacy for approximately 30 minutes:

We ask that you arrive 5 minutes prior to your booking time to allow for registration and screening.  The pre-immunisation checklist and consent form is avaible on-line for you to complete prior to arrival.

The vaccination service will take approximately 5-10 minutes.

Following the vaccination, you are required to remain within the pharmacy for a further 15-minute observation period to monitor for the unlikely event of an adverse reaction to the vaccine.

After your vaccination, we will email you a Certificate of Vaccination as a record of the service. The Certificate of Vaccination includes the following details:

• your full name and date of birth
• the details of the vaccine given, including the brand name, batch number and expiry date
• the date and time of vaccination
• the site of administration
• the name of the person administering the vaccine
• the date the next vaccination is due.

The vaccination will also be uploaded to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR).

Yes, all immunisations administered at Better Value Pharmacy will be recorded on the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR). Please ensure you record your Medicare number accurately at the time of booking to ensure the record is processed in a timely manner post-vaccination. 

We may provide your personal information to third parties for a purpose directly related to your vaccine administration. This includes (but is not limited to) disclosure of your personal information to the Australian Immunisation Register, Medicare, medical personnel who are the service providers of the immunisation, other third parties as required by law and otherwise in accordance with our privacy policy which can be found here.

How do I change or cancel my appointment?

If for any reason you are unable to attend your scheduled appointment, more than 24 hours before your booking, it can be changed by logging into your user account. 

All customers who book flu vaccination will automatically have a Better Value Pharmacy vaccination user account.  Go www,chemistwarehouse.com.au/flu , click “Login” in the top right corner, type in your email address and then “Forgot password”.  You will be emailed a password which can be used to access your user account.  From here you can change your appointment, subject to availability. 

The flu is a highly contagious respiratory infection which spreads when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The flu is more than the common cold. Some may have mild disease, but others are restricted to bed for a week or more, unable to work or care for their family. For some, flu can cause severe illness, hospitalisation and life-threatening complications. Those more at risk of serious disease are babies, people aged over 65 years, people with underlying illnesses and pregnant women.

Symptoms of the flu vary widely. Some people have mild disease whilst others can be very ill and require hospitalisation.
The most common symptoms of the flu include:

• sudden appearance of a high fever (38^oC or more)
• body aches (particularly in the head, lower back and legs)
• chills
• extreme weakness and tiredness
• a dry cough
• loss of appetite
• sore throat
• runny/stuffy nose.

The flu can lead to other complications, such as sinus or ear infections, or more severe issues such as pneumonia, inflammation of the heart (myocarditis), brain (encephalitis) or muscle tissues (myositis, rhabdomyolysis).

Colds and flu are both caused by viruses and have some overlapping symptoms but differ in the appearance, duration and severity of symptoms.

Colds come on gradually over a few days and are milder with more nasal symptoms such as a stuffy or runny nose and sneezing. Symptoms generally last a few days to a week (but can last longer).

The flu generally comes on quickly and can be severe causing high fever, muscle aches, shivering and extreme exhaustion. Symptoms generally last one to two weeks.

The flu can cause serious complications, particularly in children, the elderly and those with underlying medical conditions, which is why the flu is a more serious concern than the common cold.

The flu is a highly contagious viral infection that is spread by contact with respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Direct contact with these fluids into the nose, mouth or eyes or indirect contact via contaminated surfaces (e.g. table tops, door handles, pens, cups etc.) can cause a person to become infected with the flu.

There are a range of preventative measures to reduce the risk of getting and spreading the flu:

• Annual vaccination should occur anytime from April onwards to be protected for the peak flu season, which is generally June to September. The highest level of protection occurs in the first 3 to 4 months following vaccination. 
• Good hand hygiene, including regular and thorough hand washing with soap or hand sanitiser to reduce the spread of the virus. For ideal hand washing and hand sanitiser techniques.
• Coughing etiquette, including the use of a tissue to cover your nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing, and disposing of the tissue immediately. If you do not have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your elbow. After coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose, ensure appropriate hand washing or hand sanitiser techniques are followed.
• Stay at home while you are unwell. In particular, avoid going to work or school or visiting busy public places.
• Avoid sharing linens, eating utensils and dishes.

Annual vaccination is the most effective way to reduce the risk of getting the flu and reduce the spread of the virus in the community. Therefore, getting a flu vaccination helps protect you and those who are more vulnerable to severe complications associated with the flu. The flu vaccination service is available at Better Value Pharmacy for people aged 10 years and older. 

Annual vaccination is recommended for everyone over 6 months of age. Vaccination gives you the best protection available against the flu, and reduces spread of the disease to your family, friends, and vulnerable people in the community.

Some people are at higher risk of severe complications associated with the flu. Annual vaccination is even more important for these groups and people in contact with these groups.
Annual immunisation is strongly recommended for:

• Infants and children (aged between 6 months and 5 years)
• Adults (aged 65 years or older)
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• People with medical conditions that increase their risk of flu:
  • immunocompromising conditions
  • organ transplant
  • cardiac disease
  • Down syndrome
  • obesity
  • chronic respiratory conditions
  • chronic neurologic conditions
  • chronic liver disease
  • chronic illnesses who need medical follow-up or hospitalisation
  • aged 6 months to 10 years and on long-term aspirin therapy
  • preterm infants (less than 37 weeks gestation)
• Homeless people
• Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding
• Occupational groups
  • carers and household contacts of people in high-risk groups
  • residents, staff and volunteers in aged care and long-term residential facilities
  • commercial poultry and pork industry workers
  • essential services providers
• Travellers (when travelling during flu season)

Some of these high-risk groups may be eligible for a free flu vaccine under the National Immunisation Program. For further information, please read “Who is eligible for free flu vaccine under the National Immunisation Program?”

Vaccination against the flu is not appropriate for people who:

• have had a serious allergy (such as anaphylaxis) from a previous flu vaccine
• have had a serious allergy (such as anaphylaxis) to a component of the flu vaccine (e.g. eggs)
• are unwell (with a temperature over 38.5^oC) at the time of their appointment
• are aged under 6 months.

If any of the above apply to you, please speak with your pharmacist or doctor.

If you have a history of Guillain-Barré syndrome or anaphylaxis to eggs, it is recommended that you discuss your vaccinations before booking with your pharmacist or healthcare provider.

It generally takes two to three weeks for the vaccine to become effective and the body to develop immunity after vaccination.

Annual vaccination is recommended from April each year, prior to the peak of the flu season which usually occurs between June and September.

Protection from the vaccine is expected to develop two to three weeks after vaccination but optimal protection occurs within the first three to four months after vaccination. You should not delay vaccination until closer to winter, as the flu can occur at any time, and the peak of the flu season may come earlier than expected. Getting immunised sooner minimises the risk of catching the flu before the season ‘peaks’.

Most people should receive 1 dose of flu vaccine each year. However, the following people should receive 2 doses, 4 weeks apart:

• children aged between 6 months and 9 years receiving flu vaccine for the first time
• people of any age receiving flu vaccine for the first time after haematopoietic stem cell or solid organ transplant.

It is important to have the flu vaccination every year because:

• the virus is constantly changing, and the vaccine changes every year to ensure protection against the most recent and common circulating strains
• your immune protection from the flu immunisation declines over time.

All flu vaccines registered for use by the TGA in 2025 contain 4 strains of the flu virus. Better Value Pharmacy uses the quadrivalent (4 strain) vaccine for the flu vaccination service.

An adjuvanted version of the quadrivalent vaccine is available for Medicare card holders aged 65 years or older. This vaccine is designed to increase the immune system’s response to the vaccine and cover against the strains more common and severe in older people. The vaccine is only accessible through the National Immunisation Program. Medicare card holders aged 65 years or older can book in for this flu vaccination online. 

A cell-based flu vaccination service is available in 2025 at selected pharmacies. Please speak to your pharmacist if you would like to know more information about the cell-based flu vaccination service.

At Better Value Pharmacy, we use the quadrivalent flu vaccine for 2025. The quadrivalent vaccine includes the four most recent and common circulating strains of the flu virus, as recommended by the World Health Organisation, providing you with the best protection available this winter. You can choose between the egg-based or the cell-based flu vaccine.

For information about the different types of flu vaccine, please read ‘What are the different types of flu vaccine?’

The flu vaccine may help to protect against the flu, however the vaccine is not 100% effective, and effectiveness can vary from year to year and amongst different patient groups.

The flu virus is constantly changing, and the vaccine changes every year to ensure protection against the most recent and common circulating strains.

The formulation of flu vaccines used in Australia is determined each year by the Australian Influenza Vaccine Committee (AIVC) based on information and recommendations from the World Health Organisation (WHO).

An enhanced version of the quadrivalent flu vaccine (commonly known as the 'super vaccine') is available for people aged 65 years or older. This vaccine is designed to increase the immune system's response to the vaccine and cover against the strains more common and severe in older people. The vaccine is only accessible through the National Immunisation Program. People aged 65 years or older should speak with their pharmacist or doctor prior to booking a flu immunisation.

Side effects of the flu vaccine are generally mild. They may start a few hours after vaccination and generally last less than 1-2days. Side effects may include:

• localised pain, redness and swelling at the injection site
• a small, hard lump (nodule) at the injection-site (can last 1-2 weeks)
• drowsiness or tiredness
• muscle aches
• A low-grade temperature (fever), which may be managed with paracetamol.

Very rarely, more serious side effects can occur following administration of the flu vaccine. They can include hives, angioedema and anaphylaxis.

If you are concerned that your side effects are severe or persistent please contact your GP, visit your nearest hospital emergency department or call '000' immediately.

The flu vaccine is Category A in pregnancy, which means the vaccine is considered safe to use in pregnant women.

The National Immunisation Program (NIP) strongly recommends flu immunisation for women who are pregnant or breast-feeding as it may help provide protection against the flu for the mother and the baby in early infancy. The NIP provides free flu vaccine to pregnant women. Not all pharmacies have access to these free vaccines. It is recommended that you speak with your pharmacist or doctor prior to making your appointment

The National Immunisation Program (NIP) provides a free flu vaccine to eligible people. The following groups of people are eligible for a free flu vaccine (which may incur a vaccine administration service fee) under the NIP and should speak with their pharmacist or doctor prior to booking a flu immunisation:

• anyone aged 65 years and older
• children 6months to less than 5 years old
• pregnant women (at any stage of pregnancy)
• all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 6 months or over
• people aged 6 months or older with medical conditions that increase their risk of getting a serious disease eg:
  • cardiac disease
  • chronic respiratory conditions
  • chronic neurological conditions
  • immunocompromising conditions
  • diabetes and other metabolic disorders
  • renal disease
  • haematological disorders
• children on long-term aspirin therapy between 6 months and 10 years of age

• The Australian Immunisation Handbook Influenza information available here
• The National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS) Influenza Vaccine Fact Sheet available here
• The World Health Organisation (WHO) Influenza fact sheet available here
• The World Health Organisation (WHO) - Hand Hygiene: Why, How & When? available here
• Better Health Channel (Victorian State Government) Flu information available here

The flu and coronavirus are both viral illnesses that effect the respiratory (breathing) system.  They can cause similar symptoms eg: fever, headache, muscle aches and pains.  Both diseases can also lead to severe complications, hospitalisation and death.  If you become unwell, even if you have already been vaccinated, you should consult your healthcare practitioner regarding testing and treatment. The only reliable way to tell the difference between the two illnesses is to be tested.

Unfortunately, not. Each virus triggers a different immune response from our body to fight it. To be protected against flu and COVID-19 this year, you will need two separate vaccinations. One immunisation for flu and one immunisation for COVID-19.

Annual immunisation is recommended in Autumn (March-May) each year prior to the peak of the flu season which usually occurs between June and September. It is advised to get your flu shot when it becomes available to stop the overlap with your COVID-19 vaccine. 

Protection from the vaccine is expected to develop two to three weeks after immunisation and is expected to last for the whole season, but optimal protection occurs within the first three to four months after immunisation. You should not delay immunisation until closer to winter, as the flu can occur at any time, and the peak of the flu season may come earlier than expected. Getting immunised sooner minimises the risk of catching the flu, if the flu season starts early^iv and also allows for adequate spacing between the flu and COVID-19 vaccines.

You cannot get the flu from the flu vaccine because none of the influenza vaccines available in Australia contain 'live' virus. Post-vaccination symptoms may mimic influenza infection, for example low grade fever or tiredness, and as such be mistaken for the flu. The post-vaccination symptoms are usually mild and last only 1-2 days.