Tue, 04/04/2023 | News

AusVaxSafety commences routine surveillance of 2023 seasonal flu vaccines

With 2023 seasonal flu vaccines now available across Australia, AusVaxSafety has commenced active surveillance to monitor the safety of the vaccines in near-real time.

AusVaxSafety sends out a short online survey via SMS or email to individuals (or their parent/carer) who receive their flu vaccine at a participating AusVaxSafety site across Australia – including general practices, Aboriginal Medical Services and pharmacies – allowing participants to report any side effects they may have experienced after vaccination.

De-identified data from completed surveys are analysed and monitored by epidemiologists and vaccine experts to ensure that vaccines are performing as safely as expected in real-world conditions.

These data provide a profile of what to expect in the days following flu vaccination and are an excellent resource for immunisation providers when counselling patients on flu vaccination.

AusVaxSafety has monitored the safety of flu vaccines administered to Australians of all ages since 2017. Since then, more than 900,000 individuals (or their parent/carer) have provided details about any side effects experienced after flu vaccination.

AusVaxSafety data for the 2023 flu vaccines will be available on the AusVaxSafety website during the week commencing 10 April 2023 and updated weekly for the duration of the flu season.

View the 2022 AusVaxSafety flu safety data here

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