Adult immunisation
Adults who have been immunised as children may need booster doses to maintain immunity from certain diseases such as whooping cough. Speak to your doctor about which booster doses you may need.
Some vaccines are available free of charge through the National Immunisation Program (see the Immunisation Schedule Queensland for details). However, not all vaccines fall under this program and you may not be eligible. If this is the case, you will have to pay for your vaccines at a pharmacy using a prescription from your doctor.
The following vaccines may be recommended for adults:
- diphtheria
- tetanus
- whooping cough (pertussis)
- influenza
- measles
- mumps
- rubella
- pneumococcal disease
- chickenpox (varicella)
- meningococcal (for people with certain medical risk factors)
- COVID-19.
Talk to your doctor before being vaccinated if you:
- are pregnant, breastfeeding or planning a pregnancy
- have previously had a serious adverse event following immunisation
- have impaired immunity due to disease or treatment.
Some people with medical risk factors will also have additional vaccination needs. Check with your doctor or go to the Australian Immunisation Handbook online or via the mobile app to see which medical risk factors apply.
Pregnant women can have a free whooping cough vaccine under the National Immunisation Program. The vaccine is ideally given between 20 and 32 weeks of pregnancy.
New parents should have an adult whooping cough immunisation as soon as possible after their baby is born, as newborns are at risk of serious complications if they contract whooping cough.