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Download AudioThis year’s flu vaccinations are available from today.
Jabs are free for over 65s, pregnant women, people with certain pre-existing conditions such as asthma, emphysema, heart disease, or diabetes, and Maori and Pacific people aged 55 to 64.
Bindy Norwell says from primary health organisation Procare, which has 100,000 Māori and 90,000 Pacific people among its 800,000 enrolled patients, says it makes sense prioritise them for flu vaccination.
She says that because of Covid disruptions to GP practices and the Māori vaccination rate has dropped over the past two years from 43 percent to 30 percent.
Bindy Norwell says an about 500 people die each year from the flu.
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