Pharmac's looking to expand free flu vaccines to the group with the highest rates of influenza. 

The agency's looking at providing jabs to an extra 260 thousand children, between six months and five-years-old, from next year.  

Otago University Public Health Professor Michael Baker told Ryan Bridge a small number in this age range die from influenza every year.  

He says given they often infect other family members, other countries around the world are already funding vaccines for under-fives.  

Baker says vaccines remain the best way to develop immunity. 

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