2026: flu vaccination for tāngata whai ora

Winter is well on the way, and the flu vaccination is now available at local pharmacies, GP practices, and other private vaccination providers.

Since 2022, the flu vaccine has been free for people with specific mental health conditions including schizophrenia, major depressive disorder, or schizoaffective disorder, and people who are currently accessing secondary or tertiary mental health and addiction services.

If you would like to get a flu vaccination and believe that you may be eligible for the funded vaccine, please talk to a member of your mental health or AOD clinical team, pharmacist, doctor or other support. More information about eligibility can be found here: Flu (influenza) vaccine.

Equally Well aims to motivate families, services, and healthcare professionals to take a proactive approach in aiding individuals with mental health and addiction issues to ask about the funded flu vaccine. This can be done through services, a general practitioner (GP), pharmacy, or a pop-up clinic.

What can you do?

Print and display the resources provided by Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora, or the SEE US campaign posters, which have been designed to highlight the significance of funded flu vaccines for tāngata whai ora and encourage uptake. You can also share the posters on Facebook, X, or LinkedIn.