Immunisations

The National Immunisation Program (NIP) provides free vaccination against several diseases, to increase national immunisation rates and reduce vaccine preventable diseases. At Loch Street Medical Centre, we provide vaccines included in the NIP, Flu vaccines, COVID-19 Vaccines and recommended private vaccines.

Flu vaccination

We are excited to announce that we are running a flu clinic from Monday to Thursday from March to July.

Eligible patients will be bulk billed with no out-of-pocket cost. Patients who do not meet the government eligibility criteria will be charged a $20 vaccination fee.

Government eligibility criteria (2023 NIP-funded eligibility)

• Pregnant women (at any stage of pregnancy)
• People aged 5 years and over with certain medical conditions
• Children over 6 months but under 5 years
• People aged 65 years and older
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 6 months and over

Bookings can be made online or by calling the clinic on 03 5634 2757.

COVID-19 Vaccination

COVID-19 vaccine booster doses (Pfizer Comirnaty Original/Omicron BA.4-5) are available at Loch Street Medical Centre. We are running a COVID vaccination clinic on Fridays from 9.00am to 12.00pm. All Medicare card holders will be bulked billed with no out-of-pocket cost for the COVID-19 vaccination.

Bookings can be made online or by calling the clinic on 03 5634 2757.

National Immunisation Program

We provide all the childhood immunisations which are recommended under the National Immunisation Programme.

The Australian National Immunisation Program (NIP) recommends and funds:

• immunisation against 13 diseases for Australian children aged 0-4 years
• annual influenza (flu) immunisation for children aged 0-4 years
• extra immunisations for teenagers.

To be fully protected against some diseases, your child might need to be immunised several times at different ages.

National Immunisation Program Schedule

Birth

At this age, your child will get one immunisation, which will help protect them from hepatitis B.

At 6-8 weeks

At this age, your child will get 3 immunisations:

• The first immunisation helps to protect your child from hepatitis B, diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, Haemophilus influenzae type b and polio. It’s given by injection.
• The second immunisation helps to protect your child from pneumococcal disease. It’s given by injection.
• The third immunisation helps to protect your child from rotavirus. It’s given as a liquid, which your child must swallow. The immunisation must be given at 6-14 weeks.

At 4 months

At this age, your child will get 3 immunisations, the same as those given at 6-8 weeks:

• The first immunisation helps to protect your child from hepatitis B, diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, Haemophilus influenzae type b and polio. It’s given by injection.
• The second immunisation helps to protect your child from pneumococcal disease. It’s given by injection.
• The third immunisation helps to protect your child from rotavirus. It’s given as a liquid, which your child must swallow. The immunisation must be given at 10-24 weeks.

At 6 months

At this age, your child will get one immunisation. This helps to protect your child from hepatitis B, diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, Haemophilus influenzae type b and polio. It’s given by injection.

At 12 months

At this age, your child will get 3 immunisations, all given by injection:

• The first immunisation helps to protect your child from the A, C, W and Y strains of meningococcal disease.
• The second immunisation helps to protect your child from measles, mumps and rubella.
• The third immunisation helps to protect your child from pneumococcal disease.

Every year

A yearly influenza immunisation is recommended and funded for children aged 6 months up to 5 years or children with chronic illnesses. It’s given by injection.

In the first year your child gets an influenza immunisation, they’ll need 2 doses at least 4 weeks apart. After this, only one dose is needed each year.

At 18 months

At this age, your child will get 3 immunisations, all given by injection:

• The first immunisation helps to protect your child from diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough.
• The second immunisation helps to protect your child from measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox.
• The third immunisation helps to protect your child from Haemophilus influenzae type b.

At 4 years

At this age, your child will get one immunisation. This helps to protect your child from diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and polio. It’s given by injection.

COVID-19 immunisation isn’t part of the NIP but is funded and recommended for all children aged 5 years and over. It’s also funded and recommended for children aged 6 months to 5 years with certain underlying medical conditions.

Extra immunisations for special circumstances

In addition to the immunisations offered to all children under the NIP, other immunisations are recommended for children who are considered at higher risk of getting certain diseases and having health problems.

These children include:

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children
• children with certain underlying medical conditions, like conditions that affect the immune system, or chronic lung or heart conditions
• children who were born prematurely
• children travelling overseas.

Some additional immunisations for children at higher risk of disease are funded under the NIP. This includes the Meningococcal B vaccine for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children under 2 years.

If you think your child might be in a high-risk group and might need extra immunisations, talk with your GP or immunisation provider.

All vaccines used in immunisation have been tested and are safe for your child at the recommended ages.

Reference https://raisingchildren.net.au/guides/a-z-health-reference/immunisation