Antenatal immunisation resources for WA clinicians
WA Department of Health has developed resources to support conversations with pregnant patients about immunisation against pertussis, influenza, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) including:
- Influenza vaccination in pregnancy
- Pertussis vaccination in pregnancy
- 2025 WA Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Infant and Maternal Immunisation Program – What parents and carers need to know
More information for clinicians is available at the WA Health website.
NCIRS co-administration guide for vaccination in adults
The National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS) has developed a co-administration guide to assist GPs and other immunisation providers identify vaccines that can be co-administered in patients aged 18 years and over.
The co-administration guide should be used in conjunction with the Australian Immunisation Handbook which provides detailed advice on vaccine dosage, administration, contraindications and precautions.
Immunisation recommendations for people medical risk factors
The Australian Immunisation Handbook now includes a resource providing a high-level overview of vaccination recommendations for people with medical risk factors and the current funding status
Access the reference table here.
Supporting vaccination of migrants, refugees and people seeking asylum in Australia
Vaccination is a priority for all migrants, refugees and people seeking asylum after arriving in Australia and they are eligible for free vaccines under the NIP if they did not receive them in childhood.
The Australian Immunisation Handbook includes specific guidance on vaccination for migrants, refugees and people seeking asylum.
Free immunisation services for newly arrived refugees and humanitarian entrants include:
- WA Child and Adolescent Health Service Refugee Health Team
- WA Department of Health Humanitarian Entrant Health Service
See also Clinician Assist: Refugee Health Assessment.
Changes to the National Immunisation Program childhood and adolescent pneumococcal vaccine schedules
As at 1 September 2025, the 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (20vPCV) Prevenar 20 has replaced both Prevenar 13 and Pneumovax 23 on the NIP childhood and adolescent vaccine schedules.
Based on ATAGI advice, the changes aim to simplify the vaccine schedule and cover more pneumococcal disease strains while reducing the number of doses required for children aged under five years and adolescents with specified medical conditions.
Full details of the updated schedules for different population groups can be found in the recently released fact sheet from Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing (DHDA).
The WA Immunisation Schedule and Australian Immunisation Handbook pneumococcal disease chapter have also been updated to reflect these changes, along with the catch-up vaccination chapter to support catch-up schedules for Aboriginal and other children from at risk populations who were born after 1 March 2025. A revamped NCIRS pneumococcal vaccines FAQs resource for clinicians is also available.
Patients can be directed to the new DHDA patient fact sheet and frequently asked questions.