Links
On this page:
- General vaccination/immunisation information
– For parents | For service providers - Immunisation schedules
– Australian | International - Vaccine safety
– Australian | International - Vaccines/Immunisation for specific groups
- Travel vaccination
General vaccination/immunisation information
For parents
The information provided below is general in nature. It is not possible for NCIRS to comment on specific, individual circumstances/outcome regarding vaccination. For advice regarding vaccination, please visit your local immunisation service provider.
Australian websites
The Immunise Australia website has a number of fact sheets designed for parents as well as information regarding specialist immunisation adverse events clinics which are involved in the management of children who have experienced a previous vaccination event or who have a serious underlying medical condition which may indicate the need for supervision during vaccination.
Each State and Territory has basic information sheets on vaccines and infectious diseases:
- Australian Capital Territory – ACT Health
- New South Wales – NSW Health
- Northern Territory – NT Department of Health and Community Services
- Queensland – Queensland Health
- South Australia – Department of Human Services, SA
- Tasmania – Department of Health and Human Services, Tasmania
- Victoria – Department of Human Services, Victoria
- Western Australia – Department of Health, WA
Some other useful Australian websites for parents include:
- The Children’s Hospital at Westmead
- Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne
- Better Health Channel Victoria
Useful international websites for parents
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (USA) has a number of fact sheets, photos and video clips which parents may find useful.
The National Health Service (NHS) in the UK has a number of useful presentations and animations which provide good background information about vaccines in general, what immunisation is, how it works and monitoring vaccine safety.
The Immunization Action Coalition has launched a new site (http://www.vaccineinformation.org) with information for the public about vaccines and the diseases they prevent. This site includes photos (http://www.vaccineinformation.org/photos) and video clips, case histories, recommendations and journal articles.
For immunisation service providers
Australian websites
The following Australian websites may be of use to immunisation professionals seeking supplementary information on vaccines, vaccine preventable diseases and immunisation.
Immunise Australia website
This website contains information regarding immunisation schedules, immunisation programs, fact sheets for parents (available in 15 languages), fact sheets for providers, links to other relevant Commonwealth Health sites such as Medicare and ADRAC.
In addition, the following key publications can be accessed through the Immunise Australia website:
- current edition of The Australian Immunisation Handbook
- current edition of Myths and Realities
- current vaccine storage guidelines Strive for Five
Communicable Diseases Intelligence
This quarterly publication contains a number of immunisation related reports, including updates regarding coverage data from the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register, published reports regarding annual adverse events following immunisation and vaccine preventable diseases vaccine coverage reports.
State and Territory Health websites:
- Australian Capital Territory – ACT Health
- New South Wales – NSW Health
- Northern Territory – NT Department of Health and Community Services
- Queensland – Queensland Health
- South Australia – Department of Human Services, SA
- Tasmania – Department of Health and Human Services, Tasmania
- Victoria – Department of Human Services, Victoria
- Western Australia – Department of Health, WA
Immunisation catch-up calculator
The Department of Human Services, South Australia, has developed and maintains the immunisation catch-up calculator which helps providers to determine which vaccines are due for children aged less than 7 years who are behind with their immunisations.
International websites
The following links to international websites may be of use to immunisation service providers. Please be aware while accessing information contained in these international websites that many countries use different vaccine formulations and quite different schedules to those recommended in Australia.
The World Health Organization's web site contains a comprehensive section about vaccines entitled "Vaccines, Immunization and Biologicals". The "Statistics, Maps and Charts" link on this page contains tables, charts and maps with information about 219 countries, including their vaccination schedules.
The World Health Organization's website also contains a section entitled "The Weekly Epidemiological Record (WER)". The WER is an instrument for the rapid and accurate dissemination of epidemiological information on cases and outbreaks of diseases under the International Health Regulations and on other communicable diseases of public health importance, including the newly emerging or re-emerging infections.
The American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Immunization Program provides comprehensive information on diseases that vaccines can prevent, the importance of immunisation, vaccine safety, and educational resources.
GAVI – the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (formerly the Global Fund for Children's Vaccines) is an alliance committed to saving children's lives and people's health through the use of vaccines. Established in 1999, its partners include international organisations (WHO, UNICEF, the World Bank Group), governments of developing and industrialised countries, research institutions, the vaccine industry and major philanthropists (the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation). It aims to motivate national governments to secure a more promising future for their children, and stimulates the vaccine industry to develop and supply vaccines to low-income countries.
The American Society for Infectious Diseases has a science-based page to explain the value of each vaccine, as well as research that separates real side effects from disproved claims.
Other countries' immunisation handbooks can be accessed via the following websites:
- United Kingdom Green Book – National Health Service
- New Zealand Immunisation Handbook
- Canadian Immunisation Handbook
- USA Advisory Committee on Immunization Pink Book
Immunisation schedules
Australian
The National Immunisation Program schedule can be accessed via the Immunise Australia website.
State and Territory immunisation schedules can be accessed via the following links:
- Australian Capital Territory
- New South Wales
- Northern Territory
- Queensland
- South Australia
- Tasmania
- Victoria
- Western Australia
International
The World Health Organization (WHO) provides information on worldwide immunisation schedules. You simply select the country of interest and it will give you a profile on that country, VPD surveillance, the immunisation schedule and information on coverage.
Vaccine safety
Australia
The Immunise Australia website has a section "Managing serious adverse events following immunisation" which provides information for immunisation service providers.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration website provides information on how to report an adverse event following immunisation.
International
The World Health Organization's website contains a comprehensive section about immunisation safety that provides easy access to up-to-date factual information, global policies, best practices and resource documents, including training and communication material, in the area of immunisation.
Johns Hopkins: Institute for Vaccine Safety
This site has up-to-date links to news stories and resources related to “vaccine issues” (for anthrax, smallpox, hepatitis B, Lyme disease, etc) and “vaccine information”, including reports from the Institute of Medicine, a thimerosal table, and links to package inserts/manufacturer sites.
Brighton Collaboration
This international collaboration aims to “develop globally accepted and implemented standardised case definitions of adverse events following immunisation”. The site offers useful publications, slide presentations, and other resources of potential interest to infectious diseases specialists.
The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia has a number of resources regarding vaccine safety available through their Vaccine Education Center.
Vaccines/Immunisation for specific groups
The Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing also provides some information on Indigenous immunisation programs. View the publication Vaccination for Our Mob.
National Asthma Council of Australia
The National Asthma Council of Australia produces a number of brochures discussing the recommended vaccines for people with asthma.
The South Australian Department of Health produces a brochure on vaccination and pregnancy.
The US Advisory Council on Immunization Practices has published a number of documents regarding pregnancy and immunisation:
- general immunisation guidelines
- diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis vaccination guidelines
- influenza vaccination guidelines
The National Institute for Clinical Studies has a number of resources for people who have a medical condition that places them at increased risk of complications following influenza.
Travel vaccination
These websites provide general information regarding vaccination and travel. For individual queries about travel, additional information should be sought directly from specialised travel clinics, infectious disease specialists or immunisation service providers with an interest in travel medicine and vaccination.
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has some general information regarding travel and vaccination advice.
The World Health Organization International Travel and Health website offers general information and updates regarding malaria and yellow fever vaccination requirements.
If your query is regarding yellow fever vaccination and certification, please contact your State or Territory Health Department for information regarding your nearest Yellow Fever vaccination accredited immunisation service provider.
The following list is not an endorsement of any travel clinic over another, is not listed by preference and is not exhaustive.
