Immunisation
Subscribe
Print
EmailIn this article:
Immunisation schedule
Council provides a free comprehensive immunisation program delivered by registered nurses according to the National Immunisation Schedule.
Sessions for children are conducted at a range of venues each month, excluding public holidays. Parents should give informed consent and discuss with a Maternal and Child Health Nurse before proceeding with an immunisation.
2013 School Immunisation Sessions
National Immunisation Program Schedule
Information fact sheets in English and other languages, regarding the vaccines administered under the National Immunisation Schedule are available from The Victorian Department of Health.
Eligibility
A person must reside in Australia and meet at least one of the following criteria to be eligible for free Victorian government supplied vaccine.
- Hold a Medicare card or be eligible to hold a Medicare card and all asylum seekers
- Hold Australian citizenship
- Hold a permanent visa or have applied for a permanent visa
The Department of Health sets the criteria for the use of Government vaccines. Click here to view the criteria for the use of Government Vaccines.
Immunisation Updates
From July 2013 the National Immunisation Program schedule for children at 18 months of age will change.
Toddlers will receive their chickenpox (varicella) vaccine with their second dose of measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine in the combined measles-mumps-rubella-varicella (MMRV) vaccine. Further information may be obtained from the Department of Health Immunisation website or the Immunisation Hotline on 1300 882.
New recommendations in The Australian Immunisation Handbook 10th Edition 2013.
The Australian Immunisation Handbook 10th Edition 2013 has many new recommendations for vaccines. The following are some highlights.
- Section 3.3.1 has detailed information about managing influenza vaccination for people who are allergic to eggs. Chapter 3 also provides information about special risk groups who should have seasonal influenza vaccine annually.
- The handbook advises that pertussis-containing vaccine can be given to women in their third trimester of pregnancy. Detailed information is provided regarding the immunisation schedule in the second year of life for babies whose mothers were vaccinated in their third trimester.
- People who identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander should have their hepatitis B immunity assessed. Section 4.5.7 of the handbook has detailed advice on performing serology and, where applicable, administering hepatitis B vaccine and booster doses to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
- If an eligible person attends without their Medicare card, vaccines can still be administered at this time.
Click here to view the 13th edition handbook online.
Free Vaccination Scheduler Mobile Phone App
The Vaccination Scheduler is a simple app that sends reminders to parents when their children's vaccinations are due. This is important for all parents, because childcare benefits are linked to timely vaccinations. The app tracks the vaccinaton histories of up to six children.
Click here to follow a link to the Vaccination Scheduler webpage and download the app.
Coming from Overseas
If you are a resident in the City of Casey and have recently arrived from overseas and your children meet the Criteria for the use of Government Vaccines, your children may need to obtain catch up vaccinations to ensure that they are fully immunised to the National Immunisation Program.
Prior to attending a Council Immunisation session you are requested to make an appointment with our Immunisation Service staff to go through your children’s immunisation records. To make an appointment contact the City of Casey on telephone 9705 5200.
International Students
Residents of the City of Casey that are from overseas and are in Australian as International Students are not eligible to access the free vaccination program.
Residents on Student Visas must contact their General Practitioner to discuss vaccinations. The costs of vaccinations can be recovered through private health insurance that is required to be held by international students.
Childhood Immunisation History Statements
In the past if a child had not been immunised exclusively by Council, we would not hold their complete immunisation history. If you have had your child immunised at a number of locations it is recommended that you contact the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register (ACIR). ACIR will then send out the immunisation history to the parent.
Parents now have a number of options available.
Effective 1st July 2013, any parent wishing to obtain a copy of their child’s Immunisation History will need to pay a fee of $25.
Parents can now access their children's ACIR records from Medicare offices. Immunisation History Statements can be provided on the spot for children aged 0-7 years. This will not affect the routine statements Council sends at 1, 2 and 4-5 years of age.
Medicare Australia also provides a mechanism for parents to access their Child Immunisation History Statement online via Medicare Online Services which enables parents to access their children's immunisation details over the internet. Parents need to register for a password which will allow them secure access to the Medicare Australia website, from which they can view their child's history statement on screen. Customers can only access their own information.
To register, the parent will be required to enter their own Medicare Number, Reference Number and their Date of Birth. A password will then be sent to the applicant by mail.
Australian Childhood Immunisation Register Online
Immunisation queries should still be directed to ACIR and/or immunisation providers (e.g. Council or local GPs), as Medicare staff will have limited immunisation knowledge.
**Please note these methods are to obtain a history, not immunisation advice. The location of your nearest Medicare Office may be accessed via the Department of Human Services website.
School Entry Certificates
It is a legal requirement to provide a school entry certificate upon enrolment to a primary school in Victoria. Upon completion of the 4 year old vaccinations, a History Statement will automatically be sent to you from the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register (ACIR). The bottom of the statement should read "This child has received all vaccines required by 5 years of age". This then becomes your School Entry Certificate.
If you have not received or have lost your History Statement, call ACIR on 1800 653 809 or ACIR online services.
Further Information regarding the Immunisation Program
For information about immunisation, please call Council's Environmental Health Unit on 9705 5200 or talk to your Maternal and Child Health Nurse or the Environmental Health Team. Alternatively you can contact the Department of Health, Immunisation Program on 1300 882 008.
Adolescent Immunisation Program
Adolescents are mostly vaccinated through secondary school-based programs conducted by local council immunisation services. Some individual circumstances mean adolescents may attend their GP for vaccines.
Assessing the eligibility of adolescents for free vaccine in community-based settings has been simplified. They will now be assessed according to their age rather than their school year level. The following table shows the program timeframes and eligibility criteria for different vaccines according to whether they are administered in a community-based or a school based setting.
| Vaccine brand | Community setting - age eligibility | School-based setting - school year eligibility | Program timeframe |
| Gardasil | 12-13 years | Year 7 | Ongoing |
| Varilrix | 12-13 years | Year 7 | Ends 2017 |
| H-B-Vax II Adult | 12-13 years | N/A |
Ends 2013 |
| Gardasil | 14-15 years - boys only | 14-15 years (boys only) | 2013 and 2014 |
| Boostrix | 15-16 years | 15-16 years | Ongoing |
Detailed information regarding the school-based vaccines is presented below.
Human papillomavirus vaccine (Gardasil®)
Adolescents are administered three Gardasil® vaccine doses with two months between the first and second dose and four months between the second and third dose. Report each administered dose of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to the National HPV Vaccination Program Register on 1800 478 734 or www.hpvregister.org.au .
Chickenpox (varicella) vaccine (Varilrix®)
Adolescents are administered Varilrix® if they have never had chickenpox or if their history is uncertain. If an adolescent has previously had a dose of the chickenpox (varicella) vaccine, they may receive a second dose now for improved protection.
Hepatitis B vaccine (H-B-Vax II Adult®)
Most adolescents will have had the hepatitis B vaccine course when they were infants. Adolescents who have not yet had or completed a course of the hepatitis B vaccine may get the free vaccine from their doctor or Council’s immunisation service in 2013 only.
Diphtheria–tetanus–pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine (Boostrix®)
A recent dose of diphtheria and tetanus (dT) containing vaccine is not a contraindication to a dose of diphtheria–tetanus–pertussis (dTpa) Boostrix® vaccine, regardless of when the previous dT dose was given.
For more information in relation to any of the above vaccines, please refer to the Department of Health Immunisation website.
The City of Casey Secondary School Immunisation Schedule is available below:
If your child is not at school or misses their vaccination on the schedule day, please contact the City of Casey to arrange for your child to be vaccinated.
Further Information regarding the Immunisation Program
For information about immunisation, please call Council's Environmental Health Unit on 9705 5200 or talk to your Maternal and Child Health Nurse. Alternatively you can contact the Department of Health, Immunisation Program on 1300 882 008.
Further information may be obtained from the following websites:
- Immunisation - Department of Health
Vaccine safety – immunisation facts, common myths and more
- The Better Health Channel
Information regarding general health and immunisations. - Travelling overseas
Information for travelling overseas and locations of travel vaccine clinics - Medicare Australia
Access to Medicare website.