national immunisation program schedule national immunisation program schedule the australian national immunisation program schedule sets out the immunisations australians are given at different stages in their life. the program aims to reduce the number of preventable disease cases in australia by increasing national immunisation coverage. the program starts for an australian when they are born. vaccinations are given at birth, then again when the baby is 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 12 months and 18 months. the immunisation schedule continues when the child is 4 years old, and then into adolescent years. the program is not compulsory and parents have the choice if they want their child vaccinated. this article is about the national immunisation program schedule in australia. for a timeline of vaccines, see timeline of vaccines. national immunisation program schedulejonas salk holding two bottles containing the polio vaccine he created in 1955 one or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain: the photograph is of jonas salk, the author of the photograph is the owl, and the photograph was taken in 1957specialtyhealth and medicineusesthe national immunisation program is designed to prevent disease in australia. the schedule sets out all vaccines available in the programfrequencythe immunisations range from birth through to adulthoodoutcomesvaccinations create immunity against harmful pathogenscostall vaccines listed in the program are free under medicare benefits background the national immunisation program was first introduced in australia in 1997. the program was set up by the commonwealth, state and territory governments. the most recent update to the national immunisation program was effective since 1 april 2019. this was an update from the 2007 schedule, one change including the introduction of meningococcal acwy vaccination for adolescents. the national immunisation program schedule includes vaccines that are funded for children, adolescents and adults. additional vaccinations necessary when traveling to particular countries are not included in the program, nor are they funded. "at september 2019, the national immunisation coverage rates were: 94.27% for all one-year-olds 91.43% for all two-year-olds 94.82% for all five-year-olds" according to the australian government department of health. the national coverage rate has increased over the last 10 years, as of 2019. national immunisation program schedule childhood vaccinations birth hepatitis b 2 weeks (can be given from 6 weeks of age) diphtheria tetanus pertussis (whooping cough) hepatitis b polio haemophilus influenzae type b pneumococcal rotavirus ("first dose must be given by 14 weeks of age, and the second dose by 24 weeks of age") 4 months diphtheria tetanus pertussis (whooping cough) hepatitis b, polio haemophilus influenzae type b pneumococcal rotavirus 6 months diphtheria tetanus pertussis (whooping cough) hepatitis b, polio haemophilus influenzae type b 12 months meningococcal acwy measles, mumps, rubella (mmr vaccine) pneumococcal 18 months haemophilus influenzae type b measles, mumps, rubella (mmr vaccine) varicella (chickenpox) diphtheria tetanus pertussis (whooping cough) 4 years diphtheria tetanus pertussis (whooping cough) polio adolescent vaccinations 12 – 13 years human papillomavirus (hpv) diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough) 14 – 16 years meningococcal acwy adult vaccinations 15 – 49 years pneumococcal 50 years and over pneumococcal 70 – 79 years shingles (herpes zoster)