Plain-English guide
The National Immunisation Program, explained
The government funds vaccination against seventeen diseases, free, at set ages from birth onwards. Here is the whole schedule without the jargon.
At a glance
| What it is | Government-funded vaccination schedule |
|---|---|
| Cost | Free with a Medicare card |
| Covers | Birth to over 75 |
| Set by | ATAGI, via the Health Department |
What the program actually is
The National Immunisation Program is a government-funded schedule of vaccinations, set up in 1997 and paid for jointly by the Commonwealth, states and territories. It covers protection against seventeen diseases at specified ages from birth through to old age, and if you are eligible the vaccine costs you nothing.
What goes on the schedule is not a commercial decision. Recommendations come from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation, an expert committee, and are published in the National Immunisation Program Schedule and the Australian Immunisation Handbook. Nothing on this page is our opinion; it is the schedule, restated in plainer words.
None of it is compulsory. Vaccination under the program is a choice. Some family payments and some early education providers require it or an approved exemption, but that is a separate rule, not part of the program.
Babies and young children
The first two years carry the most doses, because this is when children are most vulnerable to the diseases involved. Most visits combine several vaccinations into one or two injections.
| Age | Protects against |
|---|---|
| Birth | Hepatitis B |
| 2 months | Diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, hepatitis B, polio, Hib, pneumococcal disease, rotavirus |
| 4 months | Diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, hepatitis B, polio, Hib, pneumococcal disease, rotavirus |
| 6 months | Diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, hepatitis B, polio, Hib |
| 12 months | Measles, mumps, rubella, meningococcal ACWY, pneumococcal disease |
| 18 months | Measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox, diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, Hib |
| 4 years | Diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio |
| 6 months to 5 years | Influenza, every year |
Two timing rules matter for babies. The rotavirus doses have hard cut-offs, so the first must be given by 14 weeks and the second by 24 weeks. And children between 6 months and 9 years having influenza vaccination for the first time need two doses at least four weeks apart, then one a year after that.
Adolescents
| Age | Protects against |
|---|---|
| Around 12 to 13 (Year 7) | Human papillomavirus (HPV), and a diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough booster |
| 14 to 19 | Meningococcal ACWY |
HPV vaccination prevents cervical and several other cancers later in life, which is why it is given well before any exposure. In NSW these are usually delivered through the school program, but they can be caught up outside school if your child missed the day.
Pregnancy
Two vaccinations are funded in every pregnancy, and both are there to protect the baby as much as the mother. Whooping cough vaccination passes antibodies across before birth, covering the newborn in the weeks before their own first dose. Influenza vaccination is recommended at any stage. Protection against RSV is also funded in pregnancy, generally from 28 weeks.
Adults
| Who | Protects against |
|---|---|
| All adults | COVID-19 Free |
| 65 and over | Influenza, shingles, pneumococcal disease Free |
| 75 and over | RSV Free |
| Any age with certain medical conditions | Influenza, pneumococcal disease, shingles Free |
| Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people | Earlier eligibility across influenza, pneumococcal disease, shingles and RSV Free |
Anyone who has missed doses can catch up, and catch-up is funded for people under 20, with wider eligibility for refugees and humanitarian entrants. If you arrived in Australia as an adult and your childhood record is incomplete or unavailable, that is a common situation and there is a defined path through it.
For a fuller explanation of what applies once you turn 65, see vaccinations after 65.
Having them here
Pharmacies are one of the recognised places to receive program vaccinations, alongside general practices, council and community clinics and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services. Our pharmacists are trained immunisers, so most of the adult schedule can be done here, walk-in, seven days a week. Age limits differ by vaccination and do change, so ring us with the age and we will tell you straight away whether we can help or whether your GP is the better option.
Everything we give is reported to the Australian Immunisation Register, so your record updates without you doing anything.
Where this information comes from
Eligibility and timing on this page follow the National Immunisation Program Schedule and the Australian Immunisation Handbook, published by the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, with recommendations set by the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI).
- National Immunisation Program Schedule, at health.gov.au
- Australian Immunisation Handbook, at immunisationhandbook.health.gov.au
- NSW Immunisation Schedule, at health.nsw.gov.au
Programs change. We have written this to be plain and current, but the government pages are the authority, and your own eligibility depends on your age, your health and your vaccination history. Ask us and we will check it against the schedule with you rather than guess.
Common questions
The National Immunisation Program: questions we get asked
What is the National Immunisation Program?
A joint Australian, state and territory government program, running since 1997, that funds vaccination against a set list of diseases at specific ages. If you are eligible, the vaccine itself costs nothing. Recommendations are set by the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation and published in the National Immunisation Program Schedule.
Do I need a Medicare card?
The program covers people who hold a Medicare card or are eligible for one. If you are not sure where you stand, ask us and we will help you work it out.
Is the vaccination completely free?
The vaccine itself is free if you are eligible. Some providers charge a separate consultation or administration fee, so it is worth asking when you book. We will always tell you any cost before we begin.
What if my child has missed doses?
Catch-up is funded, and there is a national catch-up calculator that immunisation providers use to build a proper schedule. Bring whatever record you have, including anything from overseas, and we will work through it with you or point you to your GP where that is the right place.
Are vaccinations on the schedule compulsory?
No. They are not mandatory. Some family payments and some early education providers do require vaccination or an approved exemption, which is a separate matter from the program itself.
Does the schedule differ in NSW?
The national schedule is the backbone, but the age at which some vaccinations are given can vary slightly between states, and NSW runs some additional programs such as school-based vaccination. We work to the NSW schedule.
Where is my vaccination record kept?
On the Australian Immunisation Register. Everything we administer is reported there, and you can see it as an immunisation history statement through myGov or by asking us.
Open 7 days
Walk in and ask for the pharmacist
Corner of Johnston and Booth Street, Annandale. Pharmacists available 7 days a week.