Adult immunisation

Whooping cough vaccine for parents

You can access a free whooping cough vaccine from us if you:

• have a Medicare card
• are more than 28 weeks pregnant
• are the partner of a pregnant woman

If you don't have a Medicare card, you need to visit a doctor.

Flu vaccinations

Vaccination against influenza (flu) is important this year. Annual vaccination is our best defence against flu virus and its complications.

Flu vaccines for over-65s

Annual Free flu vaccines under the National Immunisation Program (NIP) for adults aged 65 years and over are available now at the Council’s Community Immunisation sessions.

If you're over 65, you can access a free flu vaccine during flu season. You can also get a free vaccine from your GP or local pharmacy.

If you want a flu vaccine from us, please contact us before you attend a session so we can ensure we have it in stock.

Flu and COVID-19 vaccination

ATAGI (Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation) has advised that influenza vaccines can be co-administered (on the same day) with a COVID-19 vaccine. Co-administration with COVID-19 booster vaccines could be a prompt for influenza vaccination.

Timing of vaccination

The highest level of protection occurs in the first 3 to 4 months following vaccination. Annual vaccination should ideally occur before the onset of each influenza season. This is usually from June to September in most parts of Australia but may be atypical this year. Vaccinating from April provides protection before the peak season.

Do you offer travel vaccinations?

No, we don't offer travel vaccinations. If you need a travel vaccination, please visit a travel clinic.

At-risk groups

Examples of at-risk groups include:

• anyone under 20 years of age. The catch-up schedule must start on or before your 20th birthday and may be finished after this date if required
• all refugees and humanitarian entrants, including asylum seekers
• vulnerable citizens who experienced socioeconomic disadvantages that affected their access to a vaccine during their period of eligibility
• adults born during or since 1966 who don't have:
• evidence of getting two documented doses of valid Measles mumps rubella (MMR) vaccine
• serological evidence of immunity.
• people at risk of hepatitis B infection, including:
• all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people - hepatitis B non-immune, no restrictions
• household contacts and sexual partners of people living with hepatitis B
• people who inject drugs or are on opioid substitution therapy
• people living with Hepatitis C
• men who have sex with men
• people living with HIV
• people who started but did not finish a free vaccine course while in custody (who are no longer in custody)
• people born in priority hepatitis B endemic countries who arrived in Australia in the last 10 years (priority countries include China, Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Thailand, South Korea, Myanmar, Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Cambodia).

Eligibility criteria for free vaccine

To find out if you're eligible for a free vaccine, visit the Victorian Government's Eligibility for free vaccine page.