Immunisation age and vaccine

Immunisation is one of the most widely effective ways to prevent disease.

Getting immunised at the right time helps protect your family and your community from vaccine preventable diseases.

The immunisations listed below (grouped by age) are offered as a free service and are part of the Immunisation schedule Victoria.

Birth

Age	Disease	Vaccine brand	Common reactions
Birth	Hepatitis B	H-B-VaxII paediatric or Engerix-B paediatric	Mild temperature, pain at the injection site

Age	Disease	Vaccine brand	Common reactions
2 months (from 6 weeks)	Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B, polio, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)	Infanrixhexa or Vaxelis	Mild temperature, pain at the injection site, drowsiness, irritability/crying
	Pneumococcal	Prevenar 20	Mild temperature, pain at the injection site
	Rotavirus	Rotarix (Dose 1 from 6–14 weeks; Dose 2 from 10–24 weeks)	Irritability or mild temporary diarrhea or vomiting
	Meningococcal B (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander infants only)	Bexsero	Fever, irritability. Paracetamol is recommended before vaccination to help reduce fever and discomfort afterwards.

Age	Disease	Vaccine brand	Common reactions
4 months	Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B, polio, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)	Infanrixhexa or Vaxelis	Mild temperature, pain at the injection site, drowsiness, irritability/crying
	Pneumococcal	Prevenar 20	Mild temperature, pain at the injection site
	Rotavirus	Rotarix (Dose 1 from 6–14 weeks; Dose 2 from 10–24 weeks)	Irritability or mild temporary diarrhea or vomiting
	Meningococcal B (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander infants only)	Bexsero	Fever, irritability. Paracetamol is recommended before vaccination to help reduce fever and discomfort afterwards.

Age	Disease	Vaccine brand	Common reactions
6 months	Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B, polio, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)	Infanrixhexa or Vaxelis	Mild temperature, pain at the injection site, drowsiness, irritability/crying

Age	Disease	Vaccine brand	Common reactions
12 months	Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR)	Priorix or M-M-R II	About 7 to 10 days after vaccination: fever (can be over 39°C), faint red non-infectious rash, drowsiness, runny nose, cough or puffy eyes, swollen salivary glands. Very rarely a low platelet count causing bleeding and bruising.
	Meningococcal ACWY	Nimenrix	Mild temperature, loss of appetite, irritability/crying pain at the injection site
	Pneumococcal	Prevenar 20	Mild temperature, pain at the injection site
	Meningococcal B (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander infants only)	Bexsero	Fever, irritability. Paracetamol is recommended before vaccination to help reduce fever and discomfort afterwards.

Age	Disease	Vaccine brand	Common reactions
18 months	Measles, mumps, rubella, varicella (chickenpox) (MMRV)	Priorix-tetra	About 7 to 10 days after vaccination: fever (can be over 39 °C), faint red non-infectious rash, drowsiness, runny nose, cough or puffy eyes, swollen salivary glands About 5 to 26 days after vaccination: mild rash like chickenpox.
	Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis	Infanrix or Tripacel	Mild temperature, irritability/crying, drowsiness.
	Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)	Act-HIB	Mild temperature, irritability/crying, pain at the injection site

Age	Disease	Vaccine brand	Common reactions
4 years	Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio	Infanrix IPV or Quadracel	Mild temperature, irritability/crying, drowsiness.

Age	Disease	Vaccine brand	Common reactions
6 months of age to less than 5 years of age	Annual influenza (Children under 9 years receiving the influenza vaccine for the first time require 2 doses at least 1 month apart)	Influenza vaccine	Fever, feeling unwell, muscle aches, injection site pain, redness and swelling.

Age

Disease

Vaccine brand

Common reactions

6 months of age to less than 5 years of age

Annual influenza

(Children under 9 years receiving the influenza vaccine for the first time require 2 doses at least 1 month apart)

Influenza vaccine

Fever, feeling unwell, muscle aches, injection site pain, redness and swelling.

For more information about immunisations, please email us at immunisation@whittlesea.vic.gov.au or phone 03 9217 2170.