Immunisation Services

• Whooping Cough (Pertussis) OUTBREAK
• NEW Vaccine for 1 & 2 year olds
• Recommended Schedule
• Vaccines Available (inc. costs)
• Public Immunisation Sessions/Locations in Banyule
• Primary School Immunisation Certificate
• School Immunisation Program
• Workplace Immunisation
• Immunisation Links

Immunisation is the safest and most effective way of giving protection against a disease.  After immunisation, your child is far less likely to catch the disease if there are cases in the community.  The benefit of protection against the disease far outweighs the very small risks of immunisation.

Children are routinely immunised with the vaccines recommended in accordance with the National Immunisation Schedule.  These vaccines are funded by the Australian Government and are provided free of charge to residents eligible to hold a Medicare Card or of Refugee status.

Whooping Cough (Pertussis) OUTBREAK

For all new parents of babies born after 15 June 2009
As Australia is currently experiencing a whooping cough outbreak the Department of Health are supplying immunisation providers with a pertussis containing vaccine (Boostrix) for parents who have a baby born from 15 June 2009. The free Boostrix vaccine is administered to parents in order to minimise the spread of pertussis infection to their infant.  It is recommended that people who have a pregnant partner be immunised before their baby's birth, while mothers should be immunised soon after their baby is born.

This is available through your GP. 

If your baby was born prior to 15 June 2009 the vaccine is still available for purchase upon request.  

Ideally anyone planning pregnancy should receive a pertussis containing vaccine however this is not a free vaccine.

Whooping Cough Website Launched

Australian healthcare professionals, public health workers and parents now have another weapon in the fight against whooping cough, with the launch of www.whoopingcough.com.au

The site has been deceloped to offer an easy to use and interactive tools such as an Australian map with information tailored by State, a 10 question quiz and Facebook sharing in order to help spread the message.  In response to the pertussis outbreak, several Australian States have implemented adult pertussis vaccination programs to help cocoon babies who are too young to ve adequately protected, with each State having different eligible groups, providers and program dates.  Families who have grandparents living in another State of Australia will also benefit from the site, as now all the information needed for state specific vaccination program can be found in one place.

The site also features a video to help users recognise the symptoms of whooping cough and appreciate the seriousness of the disease.

SEASONAL FLU
Most cases of influenza occur within a 6 to 8 week period, mostly in winter and spring months.  It is caused by a highly contagious virus which is spread by coughs and sneezes.

We currently have ample supplies of the influenza vaccine available at all of our Public Immunisation sessions for the purchase price of $25.

The seasonal flu injection helps protect against the current main strains of flu and helps to prevent the serious complications the influenza virus can cause.  The influenza vaccine needs to be repeated each year as the influenza virus has the ability to change.  As such each year the vaccine is formulated to combat the three influenza virus strains that are expected to be a problem in that particular year.
This year's seasonal influenza vaccine also contain the 'swine flu' strain; A(H1N1): an A/California/7/2009(H1N1)-like strain.  The vaccine is available for free to certain groups considered to be at high risk of complications from influenza, including those with chronic illness, people over 65 years and pregnant women.

If you believe that you are eligible for free seasonal flu vaccine or would to discuss your options please contact your doctor.

NEW Vaccine for 1 & 2 year olds

The pneumococcal vaccine, known as Prevenar has been enhanced to protect against more strains (previously 7 now 13) of the disease.  A free, one-off dose of this vaccine is available from 1 October 2011 until 30 September 2012 for children aged 12-35 months (one year to almost three years old).  The improved vaccine is also being administered to all babies at their 2, 4 and/or 6 month immunisations.  Further information on this vaccine can be found at:  http://health.vic.gov.au/news/free_vaccine.htm

Parents are advised to attend one of Council's public immunisation sessions or make arrangements with their GP as soon as they can, before the program ends.

Recommended Schedule

NATIONAL IMMUNISATION SCHEDULE for Victoria from July 2011
These vaccines are funded for the ages listed.

*Only available through a GP.

Note: Any person 6 months of age & over with a condition predisposing to severe influenza illness who require regular medical follow up or hospitalisation such as cardiac disease, chronic respiratory disease, impaired immunity or chronic neromuscular disease.

Hepatitis B vaccine (HBV) should be given to all infants at birth and should not be delayed beyond 7 days after birth. Infants whose mothers are hepatitis B surface antigen positive (HBsAg+ve) should also be given hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) within 12 hours of birth.

Vaccines Available (inc. costs)

Some vaccine can be purchased from Council where clients do not meet the funding criteria.  Below is a list of costs.

 Note: It is highly recommended that pregnant women receive the influenza vaccine.

Public Immunisation Sessions/Locations in Banyule

For your convenience Council conducts ten public immunisation sessions per month at different venues throughout the municipality.  Six sessions are in the morning, two afternoon and two in the evening. No appointment is necessary. The locations and times are detailed below:

Immunisation Locations
DAY TIME SESSIONS

Macleod
Macleod Community Hall (parking at hall is limited additional parking available at Macleod shops)
7 Birdwood Avenue, Macleod 3085
1st Monday of each month
10 am - 11.30 am

Bellfield
Bellfield Community Centre
Cnr Oriel Road and Banksia Street, West Ivanhoe 3079
1st Friday of each month (excluding January)
10 am - 11.30 am

Heidelberg West
Banyule Community Health Centre
21 Alamein Road, (Cnr Catalina & Alamein) Heidelberg West 3081
3rd Thursday of each month
1.30 pm - 3.00 pm

Heidelberg
Old Shire Offices
60 Beverley Road, Heidelberg 3084
2nd Thursday of each month
10 am - 11.30 am

Greensborough
Grace Park Community Hall
Cnr Duncan Avenue and Henry Street, Greensborough 3088
1st Tuesday of each month
10.00 am - 11.30 am

Watsonia
Watsonia Community Hall
Lambourn Road, Watsonia 3087
2nd Wednesday of each month
1.30 pm - 3.00 pm

Montmorency
Petrie Park Senior Citizens Hall (Behind RSL Club)
off Mountain View Road, Montmorency 3094
4th Friday of each month
10 am - 12 noon 

SATURDAY

Rosanna
Banyule Customer Service Centre
44 Turnham Avenue, Rosanna 3084
3rd Saturday of each month 
10.00 am - 12.00 noon

NIGHT TIME SESSIONS

Bellfield 
Bellfield Community Centre
Cnr Oriel Road and Banksia Street, West Ivanhoe 3079
4th Wednesday of each month
6.00 pm - 7.30 pm

Greensborough
Greensborough Senior Citizens' Club
Henry Street, Greensborough 3088 (200m south of Safeway)
3rd Tuesday of each month
5.30 pm - 7.30 pm

Primary School Immunisation Certificate

Changes to the requirements for school entry immunisation certificates

Under the new Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008, which came into force on 1 January 2010, there is an ongoing legal requirement for parents to provide an immunisation status certificate when enrolling a child into primary school.

The new certificate is simply a current list of vaccines the child has received with the dates the vaccines were given.  The certificate will most commonly be provided from the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register (ACIR).

In the event the child is not immunised due to parental objection, then the certificate will need to indicate this information from the immunisation provider.  Homeopathic immunisation is not a recognised form of immunisation and is not acceptable under the legislation.

Who can issue the certificate to the family?

• Australian Childhood Immunisation Register - 1800 653 809
• Local council immunisation services
• Medical Practitioners
• other immunisation providers

The immunisation provider must have either provided the immunisations and therefore have records or sight the relevant documentation as evidence of immunisation, in order to produce the immunisation status certificate.

School Immunisation Program

The Immunisation Service visits all secondary schools located in Banyule to immunise Year 7 students against Hepatitis B, Varicella (chickenpox) & Human Papillomavirus (girls only) & Year 10 students receive a booster immunisation against diphtheria, tetanus & pertussis (whooping cough) .

All secondary schools located in Banyule are invited to participate in an 'at cost' Year 11 & 12 Influenza Program, which is conducted every Autumn (March - May).  If your school is participating & you would like your child to be immunised against influenza, the following attachment can be downloaded & completed.  Please submit to your school by 17 February, to ensure a vaccine is available for your child. 

Workplace Immunisation

Council provides immunisation on site at workplaces for ten or more staff.  The cost is dependent upon the type and the number of immunisations required.

Immunisation Links

Immunisation Safety Website - http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/
Department of Human Services - http://www.health.vic.gov.au/immunisation/
Cancer Council Australia (Cervial Cancer) - http://www.cervicalcancervaccine.org.au/
Royal Children's Hospital - http://www.rch.org.au/clinicalguide/cpg.csm?list
Centrelink (maternity allowance) - http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/payments/maternity_allow.htm