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Immunisation Information for the Public

The Public Health Unit provides general advice and information on adult and childhood immunisation to members of the public, excluding travel vaccinations. Make sure to check the NSW Immunisation Schedule to find out what vaccinations you need and when.

Alerts and news

Updated news and alerts about vaccination is available on the NSW Health website.

Information on COVID-19 and vaccination

  1. NSW Health
  2. Australian Government Department of Health
  3. National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS) 
  4. Health Direct
Annual influenza vaccination (flu shot)

The flu shot is our best defence against the flu. It is recommended for everyone who is aged 6 months and over, to reduce their risk of the flu. Australia's peak flu season is between June and September. It is recommended for individuals to get their flu shot between April and May, however it is never too late to vaccinate!

Free seasonal influenza vaccine is funded for the following groups at higher risk of complications from influenza:

  • all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 6 months and over
  • all children aged 6 months to less than 5 years of age
  • pregnant women (influenza vaccine can be given at any stage of pregnancy)
  • people aged 65 years and over (a vaccine that is specifically designed to produce a higher immune response is available for this group).
  • all individuals aged 5 years and over with medical risk conditions, namely:
  • cardiac disease, including cyanotic congenital heart disease, coronary artery disease and congestive heart failure
  • chronic respiratory conditions, including suppurative lung disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), severe asthma (for which frequent medical consultations or the use of multiple medications is required), cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis and chronic emphysema.
  • chronic neurological conditions, including hereditary and degenerative central nervous system (CNS) diseases (including multiple sclerosis), neuromuscular disorders, spinal cord injuries and seizure disorders
  • immunocompromising conditions, including immunocompromised due to disease or treatment (e.g. malignancy, transplantation and/or chronic steroid use), asplenia or splenic dysfunction and HIV infection
  • diabetes and other metabolic disorders, including Type 1 diabetes, Type 2 diabetes and chronic metabolic disorders
  • chronic renal failure
  • haemoglobinopathies
  • children aged 6 months to 10 years on long term aspirin therapy

You can get your flu shot at your GP or a pharmacy.You can search online for a pharmacy that provides the flu shot.

For more information about the seasonal flu shot, visit:

Information on Japanese Encephalitis and vaccination 

1. NSW Health

2. Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

3. National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS)

4. Healthdirect

5. Safe Work Australia

Information on Mpox (monkeypox)

1. NSW Health

2. NSW Health Fact Sheet

3. NSW Health Mpox (monkeypox) Vaccination

4. ACON (LGBTQ+ Community Health Organisation)

5. Healthdirect

A-Z vaccine preventable conditions and diseases

A list of vaccine preventable conditions and diseases can be found on the Australian Government Department of Health website and in the Australian Immunisation Handbook. 

Factsheets provided by the National Centre for Immunisation, Research and Surveillance (NCIRS) also contain additional information.

NSW Immunisation Schedule

The NSW Immunisation Program is based on the National Immunisation Program (NIP) funded by the Australian Government.

The NSW Immunisation Schedule specifies the immunisations NSW residents should receive at specific times of our life from birth to adults. Recent changes to the NSW Immunisation Schedule can be found on the NSW Health website.

Catch-up immunisation schedule

Individuals aged 10 to 19 years are eligible to receive free catch-up vaccinations through the National Immunisation Program - please see the link below 'Catch up Immunisations'. They must commence the catch-up schedule before their 20th birthday to be eligible. Refugees and humanitarian entrants aged 20 years and over are also eligible for a number of free catch-up vaccinations.

For more information on planning catch-up immunisations and who is eligible, visit:

School Vaccination Program

Information regarding the NSW School Vaccination Program and vaccines offered can be found here. 

Students in secondary schools are offered three vaccines: diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (dTpa) and human papillomavirus (HPV) in year 7, and meningococcal ACWY in year 10.

NSW School Vaccination Program vaccines in NSW Pharmacies - National Immunisation Program vaccines for adolescents can also be supplied and administered at pharmacies with trained immunisers. This may be useful for students who miss out on school vaccination due to absences on the day of the clinic and subsequent catch-up school clinics.

How to request a vaccination record for children vaccinated in high school

All records of vaccination provided in the NSW School Vaccination Program are uploaded onto the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR). Please note, there may be some errors in records of vaccinations given before 2014. If you think your AIR record of school vaccinations is incorrect, please call the Public Health Unit on 9382 8333 and ask to speak to an immunisation nurse.  

To request your AIR Immunisation History Statement: 

  • Create a myGov account or log in 
  • Link your Medicare account in the Services menu 
  • Proceed to your Medicare Online Account 
  • Click on the Immunisation History banner and complete the declaration 
  • Download your Immunisation History Statement 

If you are a parent/guardian requesting records for your child who is aged 14 years or older follow this link for more information.   

If you do not have an Australian Medicare or myGov account, you should contact the AIR on 1800 653 809 or visit your local general practitioner to request an Immunisation History Statement. 

Travel vaccinations

The Public Health Unit does not provide specific advice on immunisations required for overseas travel to particular countries or regions due to the specialised nature of the information required. Travellers requiring a yellow fever vaccination need to visit a medical centre approved by NSW Health. A list of approved yellow fever providers in New South Wales can be found on the NSW Health website.

For all travel-related immunisation, you should see your GP or contact a specialist travel medicine centre. You will probably need to make an appointment and may need to pay up-front for the consultation, although some centres bulk-bill for Medicare card holders. You will need to check these specifics with the centre. There are no government services providing free vaccination for travellers heading overseas.

For more information:

Note: There are many websites that offer advice and information, however, information gathered from websites should not be used as a substitute for a visit to a GP or specialised travel medical centre.

Vaccinations for early childhood

During early childhood, the immune system is still developing. Getting vaccinated helps to strengthen the immune system and protect children from serious diseases. You can view the NSW Immunisation Schedule to find out what vaccinations your child needs and when. Children aged 4 years and under should be vaccinated for:

Please see the on time childhood vaccination website. 

For more information about early childhood vaccinations, visit:

Vaccinations for pregnant women

It is important to stay up-to-date with your vaccinations before, during and after pregnancy.

  • Before pregnancy: it is recommended that you receive (or check if you have already recieved) the vaccinations for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), chickenpox (varicella) and hepatitis B. It is important that you avoid becoming pregnant for 28 days following these vaccinations.
  • Whilst you are pregnant: it is recommended that you are vaccinated for whooping cough (pertussis) and influenza (flu). You should also discuss with your doctor or midwife whether you should have COVID-19 vaccine dose.

For more information about vaccinations for pregnant women, visit:

Vaccinations for older adults

Vaccinations are important to reduce your risk of vaccine-preventable diseases as you age. These vaccines are dependent on your age, your job, your travel plans, if you missed any vaccines as a child, or if you identify as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.

Vaccinations are recommended for older adults to prevent the flu (influenza), COVID-19, shingles (herpes zoster), and pneumococcal disease. Booster vaccinations are recommended for diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough (pertussis), especially if around newborn babies. 

For more information about the recommended vaccinations and catch-up vaccinations, you should speak to your doctor or vaccination provider. You can also find more information on the Australian Government Department of Health website.

For further information see NCIRS information on enhanced flu vaccine for people aged 65 years and over.

Useful links

Below are links to agencies and other organisations that contain useful information:

Contact us

To contact the Immunisation team email us or phone (02) 9382 8333 during business hours.