Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine
A free Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine is available for the following people where clinically indicated including:
- People of all ages with functional or anatomical asplenia including sickle cell disease and haemoglobinopathies.
- Congenital or acquired asplenia.
- Functional and autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients.
- Solid organ transplant recipients.
More information
- Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccines for Australian children fact National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance
- Haemophilus influenzae type The Australian Immunisation Handbook (online)
- National Immunisation Program
Hepatitis B vaccine
Free Hepatitis B vaccines are available for the following people where clinically indicated:
- All people under 20 years of age. The catch-up schedule will need to commence on or before the child’s 20th birthday and may be completed beyond this date, as required.
- All refugees and humanitarian entrants including asylum seekers.
- People at risk of hepatitis B infection as follows:
- all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people – hepatitis B non-immune, no restrictions
- household contacts and sexual partners of people living with hepatitis B
- people who inject drugs or are on opioid substitution therapy
- people living with Hepatitis C
- men who have sex with men
- people living with HIV
- people no longer in a custodial setting who commenced but did not complete a free vaccine course while in custody
- people born in priority hepatitis B endemic countries and arrived in Australia in the last 10 years. (Priority countries include China, Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Thailand, South Korea, Myanmar (Burma) Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Cambodia).
More information
- Hepatitis B vaccines for Australians – fact : National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance.
- Ordering vaccines page on this website
- Hepatitis page - The Australian Immunisation Handbook (online)
- LiverWELL (incorporating Hepatitis website
- Immunisation schedule Victoria and vaccine eligibility
Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine
The National Immunisation provides free HPV Gardasil®9 vaccine for:
- Adolescents 12-13 years of age through the secondary school immunisation program
- Adolescents who missed vaccination at school, a catch-up program is available for adults up to 25 years of age
More information
- Human papillomavirus – The Australian Immunisation Handbook.
- Human papillomavirus (HPV) and immunisation – Better Health Channel.
- National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance – fact .
- HPV (human papillomavirus) – Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care.
Influenza vaccine
Influenza vaccine is recommended annually for all adults who wish to protect themselves from influenza however the vaccine is only funded for eligible people.
More information
Seasonal influenza page – on this website.
Influenza fact – National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance.
- Getting vaccinated against influenza – Resource – Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care
Measles Mumps Rubella (MMR) vaccine
A Victorian Government funded measles-containing vaccine program is available for all adults born during or since 1966 and aged from 20 years without evidence of two documented doses of valid MMR vaccine or without serological evidence of immunity.
One or 2 free doses of MMRII® vaccine can be administered to eligible adults. If 2 MMRII® doses are required they must be given a minimum of 28 days apart.
Some adults may be non immune or only partially immune to MMR because they were not captured in the Australian Measles Control Campaign in the late 1990s and the subsequent Young Adults MMR program in 2001.
It is important to check the MMR vaccination status of adults with no documented history of 2 doses of MMR vaccine, especially women of childbearing age. Immunisation providers should upload a record of all vaccines administered to the Australian Immunisation Register.
MMR vaccine should be administered to women planning pregnancy or post-partum with low or negative rubella antibody levels.
More information
- National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance fact
- Better Health Channel measles fact
- Better Health Channel rubella fact
- Better Health Channel mumps fact
- Immunisation for
Meningococcal vaccine
4-in-1 meningococcal vaccines are available to protect against A, C, W and Y strains of meningococcal disease.
Meningococcal B vaccine is available to protect against the meningococcal B strain.
The National Immunisation provides a free meningococcal ACWY vaccine for:
- Children at 12 months of age.
- Unimmunised people under 20 years of age who have not previously had their meningococcal C vaccine at 12 months as a free catch-up dose.
- Secondary school students in Year 10, or age equivalent as a school-based vaccination program.
- Young people aged 15 to 19 years of age, who have not already received the vaccine in school, will be able to be vaccinated by their immunisation provider.
- People of all ages with functional or anatomical asplenia, including sickle cell disease or other haemoglobinopathies, and congenital or acquired asplenia.
- People of all ages with defects in, or deficiency of, complement components, including factor H, factor D or properdin deficiency.
- People of all ages receiving current or future treatment with eculizumab.
Immunisation against meningococcal serogroup B disease is available free under the National Immunisation Program for risk groups, including:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander infants at 2 months (from 6 weeks), 4 months, 6 months (certain risk conditions) and 12 months of age and as age-appropriate catch up vaccination before they turn 2 years of age.
- People of all ages with functional or anatomical asplenia, including sickle cell disease or other haemoglobinopathies, and congenital or acquired asplenia.
- People of all ages with defects in, or deficiency of, complement components, including factor H, factor D or properdin deficiency.
- People of all ages receiving current or future treatment with eculizumab.
More information
- Meningococcal vaccines for fact sheet: National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance website.
- Meningococcal – page: Better Health Channel website.
- Meningococcal page: The Australian Immunisation Handbook (online).
- Immunisation references and fact : The Melbourne Education Vaccination Centre (MVEC) website.
Pertussis vaccine
Pertussis-containing vaccines are available through the National Immunisation for the pregnant woman in every pregnancy.
More information
Refer to:
- Pertussis (whooping page: The Australian Immunisation Handbook (online).
- Vaccinations during fact sheet – National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance website
- Whooping resources – Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing
- Maternal vaccination during resource – MVEC website
Pneumococcal vaccine
Pneumococcal vaccine is provided free on the National Immunisation (NIP) for:
- healthy Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders people from 50 years of age
- healthy non indigenous people from 70 years of age
- people with risk conditions – refer to page of The Australian Immunisation Handbook (online).
More information
- Pneumococcal vaccines for Australian fact sheet: NCIRS website
Zoster (Shingles) vaccine
Shingrix ® (shingles vaccine) is provided free on the National Immunisation Program for:
- people 65 years of age and older
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people 50 years of age or older
- immunocompromised people 18 years of age or older with the following medical conditions: haemopoietic stem cell transplant, solid organ transplant, haematological malignancy and advanced or untreated HIV.
More information
The Australian Immunisation Handbook (online)
- Zoster (herpes section.
National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance website
- Zoster vaccine fact for Australian adults.
- Zoster frequently asked .
Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing website
- Zoster .
Better Health Channel website
- Shingles - consumers.
Reviewed 24 October 2023