View Immunisation Table

Additional Notes for Risk Groups:

• Pregnant Women: Recommended pertussis vaccination in each pregnancy, ideally between 20-32 weeks, and influenza vaccination at any stage of pregnancy.
• People with Specified Medical Risk Conditions: Higher risk of complications from infections, requiring additional doses for pneumococcal, meningococcal, influenza, and other vaccines.
• Refugees and Humanitarian Entrants: Eligible for catch-up vaccines, including hepatitis B, polio, measles-mumps-rubella, HPV, and others depending on age.
• Immunocompromised Individuals: Additional vaccines or different schedules for pneumococcal, shingles, and meningococcal.

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ATSI Specific

Vaccine	2 Months (from 6 weeks)	4 Months	6 Months	12 Months	18 Months	4 Years	≥5 Years (Annually)	50 Years and Over
Meningococcal B: Bexsero®	✔	✔	✔ ATSI children w specified medical risk conditions	✔
Pneumococcal: Prevenar 13®			✔(WA, NT, SA, Qld)			✔ (WA, NT, SA, Qld)		✔ Prevenar 13® & Pneumovax 23® (3 doses)
Influenza (age-appropriate)			✔ Two doses 1 month apart, then annual				✔ One dose annually	✔ One dose annually
Hepatitis A: Vaqta® Paediatric					✔(WA, NT, SA, Qld)	✔(WA, NT, SA, Qld)
Shingles (herpes zoster): Shingrix®								✔ Administer 2 doses

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Vaccines for people with medical risk conditions

based on: https://www.health.gov.au/topics/immunisation/when-to-get-vaccinated/immunisation-for-people-with-medical-risk-conditions?language=und

Vaccine	Eligibility/Conditions	Additional Information
Pneumococcal	– Children under 12 months with specific medical conditions (6 doses over time) – All people 12 months and over with specific conditions (3 doses)	Free for those at higher risk due to: – Functional/anatomical asplenia – Immunocompromising conditions – Chronic diseases (lung, kidney, heart) – Premature birth – Down syndrome – Specific surgeries (cochlear implants, intracranial shunts) – CSF leaks – History of invasive pneumococcal disease
Meningococcal	– Children under 12 months with specific medical risk conditions (dose schedule depends on age) – All people 12 months and over with specific conditions (2 doses of both ACWY and B vaccines)	Free for those at higher risk due to: – Functional/anatomical asplenia/hyposplenia – Complement deficiency – Treatment with eculizumab
Influenza	– People aged 6 months and over with medical conditions increasing risk of complications (annual vaccination)	Free for those at risk due to: – Heart disease – Chronic lung disease – Chronic neurological conditions – Impaired immunity – Haemoglobinopathies – Diabetes – Kidney disease
Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)	– people who are immunocompromised , including people with asplenia and people who have received a haematopoietic stem cell transplant.	Free for those eligible under the National Immunisation Program
Shingles (Shingrix)	– Immunocompromised people aged 18 years and over with: – Haematopoietic stem cell transplant – Solid organ transplant – Haematological malignancy – Advanced or untreated HIV	– Free for those previously vaccinated with Zostavax if eligible – Must wait 12 months between Zostavax and Shingrix

Condition/Eligibility	Pneumococcal	Meningococcal	Influenza	Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)	Shingles (Shingrix)
Functional or anatomical asplenia/hyposplenia	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No
Immunocompromising conditions	Yes (incl. organ and stem cell transplants, HIV)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes – stem cell transplant – solid organ transplant – HIV
Chronic diseases (lung, kidney, heart)	Yes	No	Yes	No	No
Premature birth	Yes	No	No	No	No
Down syndrome	Yes	No	No	No	No
Previous invasive pneumococcal disease	Yes	No	No	No	No
Complement deficiency	No	Yes	No	No	No
Treatment with eculizumab	No	Yes	No	No	No
Heart disease	No	No	Yes	No	No
Chronic lung disease (severe asthma)	No	No	Yes	No	No
Chronic neurological conditions	Yes cochlear implants and intracranial shunts	No	Yes	No	No
Diabetes	No	No	Yes	No	No
Kidney disease	No	No	Yes	No	No
Haematological malignancy	No	No	No	No	Yes
CSF leaks	Yes	No	No	No	No

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Booster dosing

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QLD specific:

• COVID-19 Updates: Continual updates on COVID-19 vaccination are provided, with the latest information accessible through Queensland Health.
• Annual Influenza Program: Annual vaccinations recommended for everyone aged 6 months and older to prevent influenza and its complications.
• Pertussis, Influenza, and COVID-19 Vaccination for Pregnant Women: Pertussis vaccine recommended between 20 and 32 weeks of pregnancy, Influenza vaccine can be administered concurrently but should not be delayed for simultaneous administration.
• Shingles Vaccination: From November 1, 2023, the Shingrix® vaccine is free under the NIP for adults aged 65 years and older.
• Hepatitis B Vaccination: Funded for specific high-risk groups under the NIP.
• Queensland School Immunisation Program:
  • Free vaccinations are provided to students in Year 7 and 10 through schools.
    • Year 7 students (or age equivalent)
      • human papillomavirus (HPV), given as one dose
      • dTpa (diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough), given as one dose
      • influenza, given as one dose each year, there may be a fee for this
    • Year 10 students (or age equivalent)
      • meningococcal ACWY, given as one dose
      • meningococcal B, given as 2 doses
      • influenza, given as one dose each year, there may be a fee for this

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Meningococcal B (MenB) Vaccination Program:

• A new QLD-funded program targeting the meningococcal B strain, rolling out in early 2024 across schools and primary care providers.
• Infant and Childhood Program
  • Infants aged 6 weeks to 12 months of age (eligible for vaccination through the Queensland MenB Vaccination Program):
    • 3 doses of Bexsero® menB vaccine (2 dose primary course and one booster dose).
    • These will be administered with other National Immunisation Program (NIP) vaccines at 6 weeks, 4 months and 12 months of age.
  • Children aged between 12 months and less than 2 years of age (eligible for vaccination through the Queensland MenB Vaccination Program)

Age Group	Vaccine Dose	Vaccination Time	Additional Information
Infants (<12 months)	1st Dose	6 weeks	Administered with other NIP vaccines
	2nd Dose	4 months	Administered with other NIP vaccines
	Booster Dose	12 months	Administered with other NIP vaccines
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Infants with Medical Risks	Additional Dose	6 months	–
Children (12 months to <2 years)	1st Dose	Start any time between 12-23 months	–
	2nd Dose	Minimum 8 weeks after the 1st dose	–

• Adolescent Program
  • Adolescents aged 15 to 19 years inclusive (15-<20 years) (eligible for vaccination through the Queensland MenB Vaccination Program):
    • 2 doses Bexsero® vaccine with a minimal interval of 8 weeks between doses.
  • Students in year 10 will be offered vaccination through the Queensland School Immunisation Program
  • People with specific medical conditions (eligible for vaccination through the National Immunisation Program):
    • People with the following conditions are considered to have an increased risk of invasive meningococcal disease:
    • defects in, or deficiency of, complement components, including factor H, factor D or properdin deficiency
    • people with acquired complement deficiency due to receipt of complement inhibitor therapy (including but not limited to eculizumab or ravulizumab)
    • functional or anatomical asplenia, including sickle cell disease or other haemoglobinopathies, and congenital or acquired asplenia
    • HIV, regardless of disease stage or CD4+ cell count
    • haematopoietic stem cell transplant

Meningococcal B (Bexsero®) vaccination schedule according to the manufacturer’s guidelines:

Prophylactic Paracetamol Recommendations

Due to the increased risk of fever¹, prophylactic paracetamol is recommended with every dose of Bexsero in children <2 years of age²

Note: The Australian Immunisation Handbook recommends the prophylactic use of paracetamol with every dose of Bexsero administered to children <2 years of age, regardless of presence of fever. ² †Or as soon as practicable afterward.² *ATAGI recommends doses of paracetamol to be given 6 hours apart.²

Bexsero can be given concomitantly with the following vaccine antigens (monovalent or as combination vaccines)

• Diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis, hepatitis B, inactivated poliomyelitis, Haemophilus influenzae type B
• Meningococcal group A, C, W, Y conjugate
• Heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate
• Measles, mumps, rubella, varicella

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Catch-up Vaccinations:

• Vaccines for children and adolescents aged 10 to 19 years are free under the National Immunisation Program.
• This is to help those who didn’t get them in childhood to get up to date through a catch up schedule
  • Human papillomavirus (HPV) up to and including 25 years
  • dTpa, meningococcal ACWY up to and including 19 years
  • meningococcal B : children aged over 12 months to less than 2 years.

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RSV Vaccine

Available RSV Vaccines and Monoclonal Antibodies in Australia

Product	Type	Notes
Abrysvo®	Maternal + adult vaccine	NIP-funded for pregnancy
Arexvy®	Adult vaccine	Private or state-funded
Beyfortus™ (nirsevimab)	Monoclonal antibody	State/territory funded for eligible infants
Synagis®	Monoclonal antibody	Used in high-risk infants (specialist programs)

Who Should Not Receive RSV Vaccines or Antibodies

RSV vaccines or monoclonal antibodies should not be given to anyone with:

• A history of anaphylaxis to a previous dose of the same product
• Anaphylaxis to any component of the vaccine or antibody preparation

Possible Side Effects

Most reactions are mild and short-lived (1–2 days).

Common side effects include:

• Pain or redness at the injection site
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Muscle aches

RSV Prevention Recommendations (ATAGI)

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Pneumococcal Vaccination

https://immunisationhandbook.health.gov.au/resources/publications/pneumococcal-vaccination-for-all-australians

new changes 1 July 2026.

• Children aged <18 years: 20vPCV—Prevenar 20®.
• Adults aged ≥18 years when eligible: 21vPCV—Capvaxive®.
• outine adult age: reduced from 70 to 65 years.
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adult age: reduced from 50 to 25 years.
• Adult schedule: simplified to one 21vPCV dose for most eligible adults.
• NIP access: requires Medicare eligibility.

Vaccines currently recommended

Vaccine	Brand	Recommended population	Role
20vPCV	Prevenar 20®	Children aged <18 years	Routine childhood, risk-condition and catch-up schedules
21vPCV	Capvaxive®	Adults aged ≥18 years when eligible or clinically indicated	Routine adult and adult risk-condition schedules
13vPCV, 15vPCV and 23vPPV	Various	Previous schedules	No longer routinely used for new adult schedules; previous doses influence timing of 21vPCV

Routine and risk-based schedule

Patient group	Vaccine	Recommended schedule	NIP-funded
All children	20vPCV	2, 4 and 12 months	Yes
ATSI infants	20vPCV	2, 4, 6 and 12 months	Yes
Infants aged <12 months with a risk condition	20vPCV	2, 4, 6 and 12 months	Yes for specified conditions
Children aged ≥12 months to <18 yrs with a risk condition	20vPCV	One additional dose after completing the routine schedule, generally at diagnosis	Yes for specified conditions
Non-Indigenous adults aged ≥65 years	21vPCV	Single dose	Yes
ATSI adults aged ≥25 years	21vPCV	Single dose	Yes
Adults aged ≥18 years with a risk condition	21vPCV	Single dose at diagnosis, or at age 18 if the condition was diagnosed during childhood	Yes for specified conditions
Haematopoietic stem-cell transplant recipients	20vPCV if <18; 21vPCV if ≥18	Three-dose post-transplant course regardless of previous vaccination	Refer to specific HSCT schedule

General points

• The first infant dose may be administered from six weeks of age.
• If given at six weeks, the next dose remains due at four months.
• Adults who receive 21vPCV before age 65 because of a risk condition do not require another routine dose at 65.
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults vaccinated with 21vPCV before developing a subsequent risk condition do not require another dose.
• The need for additional or booster doses following 21vPCV has not been established, apart from specific circumstances such as HSCT.

Adults previously vaccinated against pneumococcus

Previous history	Current recommendation
No previous pneumococcal vaccine	Give one dose of 21vPCV when eligible
Previous 13vPCV, 15vPCV, 20vPCV or 23vPPV	Give one dose of 21vPCV at least 12 months after the most recent pneumococcal vaccine
Received 21vPCV before age 65 because of a risk condition	No routine repeat dose at age 65
Received 21vPCV as an ATSI adult aged ≥25 years	No repeat dose solely because a risk condition is subsequently diagnosed
Previous HSCT	Three-dose post-transplant schedule regardless of earlier pneumococcal vaccination

The previous routine adult schedule of 13vPCV followed by one or two doses of 23vPPV has been replaced by a single dose of 21vPCV for most eligible adults.

Medical risk conditions and NIP funding

Clinical recommendation and NIP funding are not identical. People with any condition below may be recommended vaccination, but only specified conditions are government funded.

Category	Conditions	NIP-funded
Previous invasive disease	Previous invasive pneumococcal disease	Yes
Asplenia/hyposplenia	Sickle cell disease, other haemoglobinopathy, congenital or acquired asplenia, splenectomy or hyposplenia	Yes
Primary immunodeficiency	Inborn errors of immunity, including symptomatic IgG subclass deficiency or isolated IgA deficiency	Yes
Haematological malignancy	Leukaemia, lymphoma and other haematological malignancy	Yes
Transplantation	Solid-organ transplant or HSCT	Yes
HIV	HIV infection	Yes
Immunosuppressive treatment	Current, planned or anticipated immunosuppressive therapy where vaccine response is expected	No
Non-haematological malignancy	Chemotherapy or radiotherapy, current or anticipated	No
CSF leak	Proven or presumed CSF leak, cochlear implant or intracranial shunt	Yes
Suppurative respiratory disease	Suppurative lung disease, bronchiectasis or cystic fibrosis	Yes
Chronic neonatal lung disease	Chronic lung disease of prematurity	Yes
COPD	COPD, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema	Yes
Severe asthma	Frequent medical consultations or treatment with multiple medications	No
Interstitial lung disease	Interstitial or fibrotic lung disease	No
Nephrotic syndrome	Relapsing or persistent nephrotic syndrome	Yes
Chronic kidney disease	eGFR <30 mL/min/1.73 m²	Only if eGFR <15 or receiving dialysis
In-utero biological exposure	Infant exposed to anti-CD20 therapy, such as rituximab, during pregnancy	No
Cardiac disease	Congenital heart disease, coronary artery disease or congestive heart failure	Only if aged <5 years when commencing the schedule
Extreme prematurity	Birth at <28 weeks gestation	Only if aged <5 years when commencing the schedule
Chromosomal/genetic condition	Trisomy 21 or another genetic condition increasing severe disease risk	Only if aged <5 years when commencing the schedule
Chronic liver disease	Progressive liver dysfunction for >6 months, cirrhosis or other advanced liver disease	Yes
Diabetes	Type 1 or type 2 diabetes	No
Smoking	Current or recent smoking	No
Harmful alcohol use	Average ≥100 g alcohol/week or ≥40 g alcohol/day	No

Childhood transition and catch-up considerations

• Children who commenced their routine schedule with 13vPCV or 15vPCV should complete the remaining scheduled doses with 20vPCV.
• Healthy children who have already completed their routine PCV schedule with 13vPCV or 15vPCV generally do not require a supplementary 20vPCV dose.
• A dose of 20vPCV given to a child with a risk condition should generally be:
  • at least eight weeks after the previous PCV dose; and
  • at least 12 months after a previous 23vPPV dose.

Queensland ATSI children

ATSI children in Queensland who completed their age-appropriate childhood schedule using only 13vPCV or 15vPCV are recommended:

• One dose of 20vPCV at age four years; or
• 12 months after the most recent PCV dose,

whichever is later.

If the child received one dose of 23vPPV after completing a 13vPCV/15vPCV schedule, give 20vPCV at least five years after that 23vPPV dose.

Children who completed their PCV schedule and subsequently received two doses of 23vPPV do not require a supplementary 20vPCV dose.

Co-administration

• Pneumococcal vaccines may be administered at the same visit as influenza, COVID-19, Shingrix and other indicated non-live vaccines.
• Use separate syringes and different injection sites.
• If two injections are administered in the same limb, separate the sites by at least 2.5 cm.