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Information on vaccines on the NSW Immunisation Schedule

Infanrix-hexa | Infanrix-IPV | Hiberix | Varilrix | Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) | Rotarix Vaccine | Meningitec Vaccine | Prevenar Vaccine | Priorix Vaccine | Hepatitis B Vaccine | HPV Vaccine | Boostrix Vaccine | Influenza and Pneumococcal Vaccines

Information on vaccines provided on the NSW Immunisation Schedule

Infanrix-hexa

Infanrix-hexa, administered at 2, 4 and 6 months of age, protects against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, hepatitis B, Haemophilus influenza type B (HIB) and poliomyelitis.

It is important to remember that the Hib vaccine in the NSW Schedule requires four doses to be administered at 2, 4, 6 and 12 months of age.

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Infanrix-IPV

Infanrix-IPV is administered at 4 years of age for protection against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and polio diseases.
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Hiberix

Hiberix is the monovalent Hib vaccine to be used as the booster in the NSW Schedule and should be administered just after the 12-month birthday.

PedvaxHIB vaccine is no longer used in NSW.

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Varilrix

Varilrix is the varicella (chicken pox) vaccine used in NSW and should be administered to babies born on or after 1 May 2004 at 18 months of age.
 

There is NO CATCH Up program for varicella and parents of children born prior to 1 May 2004 are required to pay for the vaccine.

NSW Health administers the adolescent dose in the school vaccination program.

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Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV)

IPV is included in the combination vaccine (Infanrix-hexa).

Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) is no longer used in Australia.

Supplies of monovalent IPV are available for children under 5 years of age with incomplete vaccination records, requiring catch-up. Please contact your local Public Health Unit to order this vaccine.
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Rotarix Vaccine

ROTARIX vaccine was added to the NSW Immunisation Schedule on 1 July 2007.

All babies born on / after 1st May 2007 are eligible for this free vaccine. There is no catch-up program for Rotarix vaccine as there are strict guidelines on the upper age limits for dosing as indicated in the table below.

Rotarix vaccine is provided to babies at 2 and 4 months of age.

  ROTARIX IS AN ORAL VACCINE AND MUST NEVER BE INJECTED

Vaccine

Doses

Age Of Routine Administration

Age Limits for Dosing

Minimum Intervals Between Doses

Dose 1

Dose 2

Rotarix

2 oral doses (1mL/dose)

 2 and 4 months

 6-14 weeks

10-24 weeks*

(Give all doses before 24 weeks)

 4 weeks

For more information on rotavirus disease and rota-teq vaccine, please refer to the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance factsheet (pdf, 318kb).

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Meningitec Vaccine

Meningitec is provided to babies at 12 months of age for protection against meningococcal C disease.

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Prevenar Vaccine

Prevenar vaccine is provided at 2, 4 and 6 months of age for protection against pneumococcal disease.
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Priorix Vaccine

Priorix Vaccine is provided at 12 months and 4 years of age for protection against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) diseases. There is no requirement for booster doses once 2 doses have been administered at least 2 months apart.
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Hepatitis B Vaccine

Hepatitis B vaccine is provided to babies at birth (before 8 days of age), 2, 4 and 6 months of age. There is no requirement to catch up the birth dose if it is not administered.
 
Booster doses are not required once a 3-dose schedule has been completed.
 
The NSW Adolescent Vaccination Program offers hepatitis B vaccine catch-up to year 7 students who have not previously received a 3-dose course.
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HPV Vaccine

HPV vaccine is provided to females aged 12 to 26 years. NSW Health delivers the program to the younger females (12 to 18 years old) through the school-based vaccination program. The older age group (18 to 26 years old) can receive free HPV vaccine at their GP.
 
Students who are absent on the day of the school clinic are eligible for free vaccine at their GP.
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Boostrix Vaccine

Boostrix vaccine is provided free to adolescents at 15 years of age only. Providers can order this vaccine from their local Public Health Unit (PHU).
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Influenza and Pneumococcal Vaccines

Influenza and pneumococcal vaccines are provided free of charge to all:
  • persons aged 65 years and older;
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 50 years and older; and
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 15-49 years who fit the criteria for high risk groups as recommended by the National Health and Medical Research Council in the current edition of the Australian Immunisation Handbook.

It is important to note that pneumococcal vaccine is not recommended annually.

The current recommendation is for adults 65 years or over to receive a dose of Pneumovax, with a single reactivation five years later, due to the increased risk of local reactions. Please refer to the current edition of the Australian Immunisation Handbook for guidance on revaccination for adults who have received the vaccine prior to turning 65 years of age.

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