HID : Infections and Parasites : ImmunisationandVaccination

Topic: School Based Vaccination Program

Description

The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) recommends various vaccines for adolescents to protect them through to adulthood.

Coordinated by Queensland Health, the School Based Vaccination Program provides parents/guardians with the opportunity to have their children vaccinated against certain diseases through their school at no cost. The Program is offered to children of secondary school age in state and non-state schools.

Practical Advice

Each year, Queensland Health offers the following vaccinations to all Year 8 and 10 students through their school.

Year 8 students:

Hepatitis B
two doses of hepatitis B vaccine given four to six months apart
Chickenpox
one dose of varicella (chickenpox) vaccine
Human papillomavirus (cervical cancer)
three doses of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine for female students given over a six month period (usually at 0, 2 and 6 months).

Year 10 students:

Diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (whooping cough)
one booster dose of adult/adolescent diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (dTpa) vaccine

A child is eligible for vaccine as part of the School Based Vaccination Program according to the year level they are in school (eg. Year 8 or Year 10), not their age.

If you home school your children, the recommended vaccines offered in the school program are also available free in the age equivalent school year. For more information see the School Based Vaccination Program - advice for parents who home school factsheet

Other Resources

For information, see the School Based Vaccination Program website

Contact the Area School Based Vaccination Program Co-ordinator: