Get your flu vaccination this year

Here's why

As we head into the 2024 flu season, getting a flu shot is important to protect ourselves and our loved ones from flu-related infections and complications. This is true even for the fittest and healthiest among us.

We should all get a flu vaccine. But who needs it most?

In South Africa, flu kills up to 11,000 people every year according to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD). Flu vaccines are important for anyone who wants to lower their risk of becoming seriously ill from the seasonal flu. To get the full benefits of the flu vaccine, you should get vaccinated now, as the 2024 flu vaccine has just become available. Remember, it takes about two weeks after getting vaccinated for the body to build up immunity to the flu virus, so it's best to get vaccinated as early as possible.

Flu vaccines are highly recommended for people most at risk of serious flu, including:

• Children aged six months to five years.
• The elderly aged 65 or over.
• People who have HIV.
• People who are pregnant or postpartum (usually, the first six weeks after childbirth) - the flu vaccine is safe to have while breastfeeding.
• People living in care facilities (old-age homes, or chronic care and rehabilitation institutions.)
• People who have a chronic health condition (like asthma, heart or kidney disease or diabetes.)

Where to get your flu vaccine?

Contact your GP to find out if they offer flu vaccines or visit a pharmacy near you that is part of our network to get your flu vaccine at the Scheme Rate. You can visit any of these pharmacies:

• Medirite
• Clicks
• Dis-Chem
• ACPA (Independent Community Pharmacy Association)

How are you covered?

If you are a LA KeyPlus member, the Scheme pays for your flu vaccination every year.

If you are registered on another benefit option offered by the Scheme, you are covered for the cost of one seasonal flu vaccine in full, unless you have already used your Screening and Prevention Benefit. Subject to available benefit, the cost of your flu vaccine will, not affect your Medical Savings Account (MSA) if you have one.

If you have already used your Screening Benefit, we will pay the cost of the flu vaccine from your available day-to-day benefits. This includes payment for the administration of the vaccine if the healthcare provider charges for it.