On 6 February 2026, the Queensland Government announced the Queensland Free Flu Vaccination Program, which will ensure all Queensland residents from 6 months of age can access free influenza vaccine from their preferred provider such as General Practices, pharmacies, or other community immunisation providers.

The 2026 Queensland Free Flu Vaccination Program will commence from 1 March 2026 as vaccine stock becomes available and concludes on 30 September 2026.

Information for providers

Every opportunity should be taken to offer influenza vaccination to all Queenslanders from 6 months of age.

The 2026 Queensland Free Flu Vaccination Program is available to all Queensland residents, including those without a Medicare card.

There is no change for people eligible to receive a free influenza vaccine under the National Immunisation Program (NIP) and they will continue to receive a NIP-funded vaccine as usual.

Program intent

The intent of the 2026 Free Flu Vaccination Program is to enable all Queenslanders aged 6 months and older to access a free flu vaccination.

For every privately purchased standard flu vaccine dose administered, providers may seek reimbursement of $25.00 (excluding GST), which covers the full cost of administration and the vaccine.

For privately purchased non-standard flu vaccines a provider may seek reimbursement of $25.00 (excluding GST). The $25.00 reimbursement is to subsidise the full cost of administration and contribute toward the cost of the vaccine.

Before administering a non-standard flu vaccine, and in keeping with the principles of informed financial consent:

1. The patient must be informed there is a free flu vaccination option available to them; and
2. The patient must be informed the subsidy fully covers the administration cost and contributes toward the vaccine cost; and
3. The patient must be informed of any out-of-pocket gap payment for the vaccine after the $25.00 deduction; and
4. The patient must be informed if they receive a subsidised higher-cost flu vaccine (i.e. $25.00 deduction), they are not eligible for any reimbursement from Queensland Health.

Queensland Health will remind the community of the availability of free options and their ability to choose a vaccine and vaccine provider.

The table below categorises the flu vaccines available through the private market in 2026 for the purposes of the Queensland 2026 Free Flu Vaccination Program.

* This vaccine is available for free under the NIP for certain population cohorts see 2026 Queensland Influenza Vaccination Program Eligibility and Product Selection Tool.
^ This vaccine is available for free under the 2026 Nasal Spray Flu Immunisation Program for children aged 2-5 years and children aged 6 to 17 years (inclusive) who struggle with getting a needle, see 2026 Queensland Nasal Spray Flu Immunisation Program.

People eligible for a NIP-funded vaccine should be offered NIP-funded vaccine with an exception for 2-5 year olds, who should be preferentially offered Flumist.

Reimbursement process

Providers can seek reimbursement for influenza vaccines administered between 1 March and 30 September 2026.

To be eligible for reimbursement:

• The vaccine must be administered to a Queensland resident.
• The vaccination must occur between 1 March and 30 September 2026.

For influenza vaccines administered to people who are not eligible for the NIP or for QLD Health funded FluMist,  providers can claim reimbursement of $25.00 (excluding GST) for each privately purchased and administered vaccine. Note:

• Claims for privately purchased influenza vaccines administered to NIP-eligible people will not be reimbursed.
• Providers cannot claim reimbursement for private stock that has not been used.

For NIP-funded influenza vaccines and FluMist doses funded under the 2026 Queensland Nasal Spray Flu Immunisation Program. Providers should follow usual payment pathways for providing NIP-funded vaccines. Note:

• Providers who cannot claim a Medical Benefit Schedule fee or NIP Vaccinations In Pharmacy (NIPVIP) Program payment (for example, community pharmacies administering NIP-funded influenza vaccines to children aged less than 5 years of age) can claim reimbursement of $20.05 (excluding GST) for each NIP influenza or funded FluMist vaccine administered between 1 March and 30 September 2026.

How to submit a claim

Information sheets and claims forms for providers and patients on how to submit a claim for reimbursement are available below:

• Reimbursement for GPs (PDF 500 kB)
• Reimbursement for community pharmacies use either:
  • claim reimbursement through the Pharmacy Guild of Australia
  • claim reimbursement from Queensland Health (PDF 392 kB)
• Reimbursement for dispensing pharmacies (PDF 292 kB)
• Reimbursement for other providers (PDF 441 kB)
• Reimbursement for individuals (patients) (PDF 324 kB)

Please note:

• Claims will be processed and paid on a regular basis. However, only one claim per provider will be processed a fortnight.
• Queensland Health will endeavour to process claims as soon as possible upon receipt of all required documentation and forms.
• To avoid delays, it is recommended that providers supply the required documentation with the initial request as this will help to set up the payee for future claims under the program.
• Queensland Health may verify the accuracy of the information in the reimbursement claim, including accessing submitted data and requesting/obtaining information from suppliers/vaccine recipients.
• Processing delays may occur due to the volume of requests received.
• Requests for reimbursement received after 31 October 2026, will not be approved.

Ordering 2026 influenza vaccines

Influenza vaccines should continue to be ordered through your usual processes.

For NIP-eligible people and for children eligible for FluMist under the 2026 Queensland Nasal Spray Flu Immunisation Program, registered immunisation providers should continue to order funded vaccines directly from the Queensland Health Immunisation Program.

For people not eligible for the NIP or FluMist program, immunisation providers should administer influenza vaccines from their privately purchased stock. Providers should keep in mind any remaining/unadministered stock from the current season will not be reimbursed.

More information

Further details on the 2026 Queensland Free Flu Vaccination Program, including consumer and provider resources, will be made available on this website soon.

For further information, please email immunisation@health.qld.gov.au

Related information:

• ATAGI Statement on the administration of seasonal influenza vaccines in 2026