Special groups
Some people have special vaccination requirements. If you identify with any of the following list, you should talk to your doctor before being vaccinated:
-
pregnant, breastfeeding or planning a pregnancy;
-
have previously had a serious adverse event following immunisation; or
-
impaired immunity due to disease or treatment.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
Children
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children living in Queensland require extra protection against some diseases. In addition to the routine childhood immunisations, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are recommended to receive additional free vaccines including:
-
BCG (Tuberculosis) vaccination - this is recommended for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander newborn babies. For further information, please see the
Neonatal BCG Vaccination brochure.
-
hepatitis A vaccination at 18 and 24 months of age - this is because hepatitis A is more common among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in Queensland than it is among other children.
-
pneumococcal vaccination booster at 24 months - this is because Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children living in Queensland continue to be at risk of pneumococcal disease for a longer period than other children.
Adults
The following immunisations are available free for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults:
-
annual seasonal influenza vaccination for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 15 years and over.
-
pneumococcal vaccination for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 50 years and over, and those aged 15-49 years who have risk factors.
These vaccines are recommended because respiratory diseases are major causes of preventable sickness and death in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
top
of page
Medical at-risk children
Children with some medical conditions1 may have impaired immunity due to disease or treatment. In addition to the routine childhood immunisations, these children may require additional pneumococcal vaccination at 12 months and at 4 years. Similarly, some preterm babies2 may require an additional hepatitis B immunisation at 12 months. Your doctor or vaccine service provider will provide advice on these extra vaccines.
1. See page 246 of the Australian Immunisation Handbook (9th Edition) for more information on the childhood medical conditions for which additional pneumococcal vaccination is recommended
2. See page 157 of the Australian Immunisation Handbook (9th Edition) for more information on Hepatitis B vaccination for preterm babies.
Other at-risk groups
Who should receive the BCG vaccine for Tuberculosis (TB)?
In Queensland, BCG vaccine is currently recommended for the following at-risk groups:
- newborn babies over 2500gm of:
- indigenous Australians
- refugees from all countries
- migrants and immigrants who have lived in Australia for less than ten years who originate from countries where TB incidence is high
- a parent who will be travelling or living in areas where TB incidence is high or have frequent visitors from these areas
- a parent requesting BCG vaccination for their baby
- a parent with leprosy (a very rare disease in Australia);
- children and adults in contact with a person with active TB, and who:
- have a negative reaction to a Mantoux test done three months after the diagnosis was made
- last had contact with the person more than three months ago
- have no evidence of infection and the person with TB (source case) is responding to treatment and has been considered non-infectious for at least three months
- could not take the appropriate prophylactic antibiotic, if they became infected;
- health care workers and other occupations considered to be high risk for TB if working in a setting where ongoing screening and use of preventive treatment would not be feasible.
For further information about Tuberculosis see the Queensland Health Tuberculosis website.
top
of page
Other languages