Immunisation - common questions

COVID-19 vaccines: For information about COVID-19 vaccines, see COVID-19 vaccination.

What is immunisation?

Immunisation is a process that helps protect people from certain infectious diseases (diseases that can spread from person to person).

It involves receiving vaccines, which stimulate the body’s immune system to recognise and fight off harmful viruses and bacteria if exposed in the future.

Immunisation is important

Immunisation is one of the safest, simplest, and most effective ways to protect yourself, your children, and future generations from many harmful diseases. Immunisation is essential because it prevents the spread of infectious diseases, protects individuals and communities, and can even eliminate some illnesses from the population entirely.

By making sure you and your family are fully vaccinated according to the National Immunisation Program Schedule, you are not only looking after your own family but also protecting older people and others who can get sick more easily in your community. As more people are vaccinated, fewer people get sick and the disease spreads less.

Immunisation saves lives. As recently as the 1950s, thousands of children died every year from diseases such as tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough (pertussis). Luckily, it is rare for anyone in Australia to die from these infectious diseases now, thanks to the major immunisation programs introduced in the 1960s and 1970s, which continue today.

Worldwide, immunisation has saved an estimated 154 million lives in the last 50 years, with over a 100 million of those being in infants.

How do vaccines work?

Vaccines help your body fight off harmful bacteria and viruses without causing the disease itself. They work by training your immune system to recognise and respond to specific diseases. Vaccines contain tiny weakened or inactive parts of a particular virus or bacteria, which triggers your body to produce antibodies. Antibodies are special proteins that the body’s immune system naturally makes to help fight infections.

Once your immune system has learned to fight a germ, it remembers how. This is called immune memory. So, if you are exposed to the real disease in the future, your body can respond quickly and effectively. This means:

• you may not get sick at all
• if you do, it is likely to be a much milder illness
• you are less likely to pass the disease on to others.

Vaccines are the most powerful and successful tools in public health. An estimated 2 to 3 million deaths are prevented every year because of immunisation.

Herd immunity

Herd immunity, also known as community immunity, protects those who cannot be immunised - such as very young infants or individuals with serious medical conditions, by reducing their chances of being exposed to the disease.

Herd immunity occurs when enough people in a population are protected from a disease through immunisation. This significantly reduces the spread of the disease because fewer people can catch and pass it on.

Highly infectious diseases, such as measles, need more people to be immune to stop the disease from spreading. If immunisation rates drop below the necessary threshold for a particular disease, herd immunity can weaken, and outbreaks can happen.

By keeping your own and your family’s immunisations up to date, you help protect yourself and others in the community who are more likely to get sick.

Are these diseases still around?

Some diseases children are vaccinated against, like whooping cough and flu, are still common in Australia. Others, such as measles, are less common here, but are more common in nearby countries in the Pacific and Southeast Asia.

Vaccinating your child will protect them from diseases which could be brought into Australia by travellers, or that they might be exposed to if they travel overseas with you.

Thanks to immunisation, diseases like polio, have become very rare in Australia. However, polio is still present in some parts of the world. We continue to vaccinate children against these diseases to prevent them from returning and spreading in our communities.

Vaccines protect

Do I need to be vaccinated?

Immunisation is recommended for all people at different ages and times in their lives. You should talk to your doctor about vaccines that are recommended for you, based on your health condition, age, lifestyle, and occupation.

The Immunisation for Life infographic can help you determine which immunisations you may need especially if you are:

• Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander
• pregnant (or planning to become pregnant)
• 65 years or older
• planning to travel outside Australia
• medically at risk due to certain conditions or treatment
• have a job that may put you at increased risk of a harmful infectious disease
• have a lifestyle that may put you at increased risk of a harmful infectious disease.

How does my vaccination help to protect others?

When 95% of the community is vaccinated to a disease, the spread of that disease is significantly reduced. This provides indirect protection to people who are more vulnerable, including:

• infants who are too young to be vaccinated
• people with weakened immune systems who cannot be vaccinated or whose immune system do not effectively respond to vaccines
• elderly or frail individuals who may have a reduced immune response.

Immunisation for children and teenagers

Should I vaccinate my child?

Vaccinating your child is medically important and strongly recommended. Infants and young children are especially vulnerable to serious infections because their immune systems are still developing. Without immunisation they may not be able to fight off diseases such as measles and whooping cough, which can lead to severe illness, long term complications, or even death.

Vaccines work by safely training your child’s immune system to recognise and respond to harmful bacteria and viruses before they ever encounter them.

Why do children need so many vaccines at such an early age?

Children are especially vulnerable to infections, particularly when they are very young. Vaccinating them before they exposed to serious infectious offers the best possible protection.

Babies are perfectly capable of tolerating vaccines, just like they handle the thousands of bacteria and viruses they naturally encounter in their environment since the moment of birth. Immunisation can protect your child from more serious infections that could lead to suffering, hospitalisation or even death.

Do teenagers require additional vaccines?

The National Immunisation Program (NIP) Schedule provides a series of free vaccines for adolescents.

• Meningococcal ACWY: adolescents and young adults (15–24 years) are at higher risk of meningococcal disease. A free vaccine is offered in Year 10 Secondary School to protect against meningococcal A, C, W, Y strains.
• Diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough (dTpa): immunity from early childhood immunisations fades over time. A booster dose is offered in Year 7 Secondary School to maintain protection.
• Human papillomavirus (HPV): HPV is a very common virus that can lead to long term complications such as cervical cancer and some head and neck cancers. Up to 90% of people are likely to be infected with at least one type of HPV during their lifetime through sexual contact. Immunisation is most effective before potential exposure, typically before sexual activity begins. A single dose is offered in Year 7 Secondary School, in an effort to make sure that all adolescents are protected before exposure happens.

These vaccines are provided free of charge through the Secondary School Immunisation Program, administered on site by nurse immunisers during school hours. Missed vaccines can be given by local councils, community pharmacies and your local doctor.

Vaccines are safe

How are new vaccines developed?

Vaccines are developed to respond to diseases or to improve current vaccines.

A new vaccine goes through many phases of development, including research, testing, clinical trials, and regulatory approvals.

As with all medicines, every vaccine must go through several stages of rigorous testing to ensure they are safe and effective before approval in Australia. Only vaccines that pass all these stages are approved for use. Those that do not meet the criteria are not made available.

This rigorous process is part of what ensures vaccines listed on the National Immunisation Program are safe and effective.

Some vaccines, like the annual flu vaccine, need to be updated every year to respond to changing virus strains and conditions.

Are vaccines safe?

Yes. Safety research and testing is an essential part of developing vaccines.

Every vaccine given to Australian children must pass three phases of clinical trials before it is registered for use in Australia.

Even after approval, vaccines continue to be closely monitored through integrated national safety surveillance systems. In Victoria, providers and the public can report unexpected or serious side effects to SAEFVIC. These systems work together to ensure that any potential safety concerns are detected and addressed quickly.

Do vaccines have any side effects?

Vaccines, just like any medication, can have side effects. Most are mild and short lived such as:

• fever (that is, a temperature over 38.5 °C)
• redness, swelling and tenderness at the injection site
• sleepiness or irritability in babies.
• mild flu-like symptoms

These reactions usually resolve within a few days. More serious reactions to immunisation are very rare, but they can occur. This is why you are asked to stay at the immunisation clinic for at least 15 minutes following immunisation so medical assistance can be provided if needed.

Once vaccines are added to the National Immunisation Program, they are closely monitored to ensure they remain safe and effective. Victorian and national surveillance systems track and analyse unexpected side effects following immunisation. This is important as unexpected side effects can sometimes happen after vaccines are registered for use.

Vaccines do not cause autism. This has been confirmed by many large scale, high quality studies involving over a million children worldwide. For more information, see Sharing Knowledge About Immunisation – What about autism?

Immunisation schedule

What is the National Immunisation Program (NIP) Schedule?

The National Immunisation Program (NIP) Schedule is a series of immunisations given at specific times throughout your life. The immunisations range from birth through to adulthood, including additional recommendations for people with medical risk conditions.

The Victorian Government funds some vaccines for people in special risk categories who may need additional protection.

How do I know when to take my child for an immunisation?

Your maternal and child health nurse or local doctor will talk with you about your child’s immunisation at each visit. You can also view the National Immunisation Program (NIP) Schedule, which tells you at what age your child needs to be immunised.

Parents from Victoria can download the free MCH app for trusted information matched to the age of your child, at your fingertips. The app can also track your child’s growth and remind you about upcoming maternal and child health (MCH) appointments or immunisations.

What should I do if my child misses an immunisation on the NIP Schedule?

On time immunisation offers the best protection. The best thing to do is to talk to your doctor (GP) or immunisation provider as soon as you can. They will help you organise a catch-up immunisation schedule to get your child’s immunisations back on track.

Getting your immunisation

Where can I get immunised?

You can get your vaccine from a range of immunisation providers, including your local doctor (GP), local council or community health clinics, community pharmacies, and Aboriginal Health Services.

For information, visit Who provides immunisations in Victoria.

How much does it cost to get immunised?

All National Immunisation Program (NIP) and Victorian Government funded vaccines are provided free of charge for eligible age groups. While the routine vaccines are free, your immunisation provider may charge a consultation fee for the visit. Check if there are any fees when making your appointment.

How do I get a copy of my or my child’s immunisation history statement?

A record of your or your child’s immunisation history is kept on the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR). Refer to How to find your immunisation records for more information.

Immunisation for access to family assistance benefits and early childhood services

Immunisation for access to family assistance benefits (No Jab, No Pay)

To receive the Family Tax Benefit Part A supplement and Child Care Benefit, your child must:

• be up to date with their immunisations (according to the NIP Schedule); OR
• have an immunisation medical exemption.

See the What are immunisation requirements - Services Australia for more information.

Immunisations for access to early childhood services (No Jab, No Play)

Under the 'No Jab, No Play' legislation, all parents planning to enrol their child at childcare or kindergarten in Victoria must provide the service with a current immunisation history statement from the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR). These statements show that the child is up to date with all immunisations due for their age. Medical exemption or catch-up program may also be listed, where applicable.

Some children may be eligible to enrol in early childhood education services for a support period.

For more information, visit No Jab No Play.

More information

Where can I get more information about immunisation?

Health professionals

Find out more about immunisation by speaking with your healthcare provider. The best place to start is with your doctor (GP) . You can also ask your maternal and child health nurse and paediatrician, or contact your local council or pharmacy. When looking online for vaccine information, be sure to use reliable sources based on scientific evidence

Online information

There is also lots of information online. When looking for immunisation information, stick to reliable information providers, such as:

• Australian Government – facts about immunisation and questions about vaccination
• Immunisation
• Sharing Knowledge About Immunisation (SKAI)
• Raising Children Network
• Melbourne Vaccine Education Centre (MVEC)
• National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS).