Vaccination: Australian Standard Vaccination Schedule

This table shows the recommended immunisation schedule for Australian children. Below the table is a brief explanation of the types of vaccinations used.

Vaccine
 
Birth
 
 
Hepatitis B
 
PATH 1
 
PATH 2
2 months
 
2 months
Combined DTPa-Hepatitis B
 
DTPa
Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib)
 
Combined Hib (PRP-OMP) - Hepatitis B
Polio
 
Polio
Pneumococcal vaccine
(13vPCV)
 
Pneumococcal vaccine
(13vPCV)
Rotavirus
 
Rotavirus
 
4 months
 
4 months
Combined DTPa-Hepatitis B
 
DTPa
Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib)
 
Combined Hib (PRP-OMP) - Hepatitis B
Polio
 
Polio
Pneumococcal vaccine
(13vPCV)
 
Pneumococcal vaccine
(13vPCV)
Rotavirus
 
Rotavirus
 
6 months
 
6 months
Combined DTPa-Hepatitis B
 
DTPa
Polio
 
Polio
Pneumococcal vaccine
(13vPCV)
 
Pneumococcal vaccine
(13vPCV)
Rotavirus (third dose is dependent on the brand of vaccine used)
 
Rotavirus (third dose is dependent on the brand of vaccine used)
Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib)
 

 
12 months
 
12 months
Measles, mumps and rubella
 
Measles, mumps and rubella
Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib)
 
Combined Hib (PRP-OMP) - Hepatitis B
Meningococcal C
 
Meningococcal C
Children with underlying medical conditions: Pneumococcal vaccine
(13vPCV)
 
Children with underlying medical conditions: Pneumococcal vaccine
(13vPCV)
ALL CHILDREN
(PATH 1 and PATH 2)
   
 
12-24 months
 
 
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in high-risk areas
 
 
Hepatitis A
 
   
 
18 months
 
 
Chickenpox
 
 
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children residing in the Northern Territory
 
 
Pneumococcal vaccine (13vPCV)
 
   
 
18-24 months
 
 
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children residing in Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia
 
 
Pneumococcal vaccine (23vPPV)
 
 
Hepatitis A
 
   
 
4 years
 
 
DTPa
 
 
Measles, mumps and rubella
 
 
Polio
 
   
 
4-5 years
Children with underlying medical conditions
 
 
Pneumococcal vaccine (23vPCV)
 
   
 
10-13 years
 
 
Hepatitis B
(only for children who have not received hepatitis B vaccine previously - as above)
 
 
Chickenpox
(only for children who haven't had chickenpox or been vaccinated previously)
 
   
 
12-13 years
(girls only)
 
 
HPV vaccine
 
   
 
15-17 years
 
 
DTPa
 
   
 
Non-immune women who are of child bearing age or have just had a baby
 
 
Measles, mumps and rubella
 
   
 
15-49 years
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people medically at risk
 
 
Influenza
 
 
Pneumococcal vaccine (23vPPV)
 
   
 
50 years
 
 
Tetanus & diphtheria
(unless a booster given in previous 10 years)
 
   
 
50 years and over (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people)
 
 
Pneumococcal vaccine (23vPPV)
 
 
Influenza (every year)
 
   
 
65 years and over
 
 
Pneumococcal vaccine (23vPPV)
 
 
Influenza (every year)
 

Guide to the medical abbreviations used for the vaccines and diseases

Here is a guide to the terms used by doctors and healthcare workers to talk about the various vaccines. They have been colour coded to match the different vaccines on the chart of the Australian immunisation schedule.

Abbreviations used in the vaccination schedule
Abbreviation Meaning
DTPa combined diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis vaccine containing an acellular pertussis vaccine. This causes fewer adverse reactions than the older DTP vaccine.
Hep A Hepatitis A
Hep B Hepatitis B
Hib Haemophilus influenzae type B
HPV Human papillomavirus (infection with some types of HPV can cause cervical cancer and genital warts).
Influenza flu vaccine
Meningococcal C meningococcal C conjugate vaccine (MenCCV)
MMR measles, mumps, rubella vaccine
Pertussis Bordetella pertussis (the germ that causes whooping cough).
Pneumococcal (13vPCV) A type of pneumococcal vaccine known as 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, that helps protect against 13 serotypes of the bacterium — the ones that cause the majority of pneumococcal disease in young children.
Pneumococcal (23vPPV) A type of pneumococcal vaccine known as 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine, that helps protect against 23 serotypes of the bacterium.
Polio Inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) is now preferred over oral polio vaccine (OPV) and may be given as part of a combination vaccine incorporating other vaccines due at the same time.
PRP-OMP a type of vaccine against Haemophilus influenzae type B. This type is recommended for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
Rotavirus the most common cause of severe gastroenteritis in infants and young children.
Rubella German measles
Td combined diphtheria and tetanus vaccine

 

myDr, 2001. Updated from the The Australian Immunisation Handbook, 8th edition, NHMRC 2003.
©Copyright: myDr, UBM Medica Australia, 2000-2012. All rights reserved.


Last Reviewed: 12 December 2011

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