It Is Okay to Have Questions About Vaccines

Every week at Embrace, we have conversations about vaccines.

Not the easy ones. The real ones. The ones where someone sits down and says , I am not sure about this. I have read some things. I do not know what to believe.

And every time, our answer is the same: you are in the right place.

Vaccine hesitancy is not ignorance. It is what happens when people feel overwhelmed by conflicting information and do not have someone they trust to help them sort through it. That is what GPs are for.

The questions we hear most often

The flu vaccine comes up every autumn in Wollongong. People want to know if they actually need it, whether it can give them the flu, and whether it is worth it if they are generally healthy. (Short answers: yes, no, and yes , especially if you are pregnant, over 65, or have young children at home.)

Childhood vaccines are another common topic. Parents want to know if the schedule is safe, whether there are too many vaccines too close together, and what to do if their child has missed some. These are genuinely good questions, and there are good answers.

RSV is the one we are talking about most right now. It is a newer vaccine , Abrysvo , recommended for pregnant women from 28 weeks. Because it is newer, it comes with more uncertainty. We understand that. But it has been through rigorous review by the TGA and ATAGI, and the reason it is recommended is clear: RSV is one of the leading causes of hospitalisation in babies under six months in Australia. The vaccine works by passing antibodies to your baby before birth.

What a vaccine conversation at Embrace looks like

We do not lecture. We do not dismiss. We go through your specific concerns , your health history, your family, what you have read , and we give you honest information so you can make a decision that feels right.

Autumn is a natural time to check in on where your family is up to. Flu season is arriving. World Immunisation Week runs from 24 to 30 April each year, with the 2026 theme "For every generation, vaccines work." It is a good moment to pause and ask the question.

If you have been putting it off because you were not sure who to talk to , this is your invitation.

Book a vaccine conversation at Embrace

Our GPs at Embrace Medical on Crown offer vaccine check appointments for individuals and families. We bulk bill eligible patients for immunisation appointments when the visit is solely for vaccination (e.g. flu) and no other issues or developmental checks are addressed.

Book online at embracemedical.com.au or call us on (02) 4288 8807.

We also offer pregnancy care and antenatal shared care for patients who want to discuss vaccines in pregnancy.

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Sources

• Australian Immunisation Handbook, immunisationhandbook.health.gov.au
• ATAGI recommendations on RSV vaccine, health.gov.au
• World Immunisation Week 2026, who.int/campaigns/world-immunization-week
• TGA, tga.gov.au

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