Gemnic

I have been looking at the Aussie Vaccination site and see that the kiddies over there get a few more vaccines than ours in the UK do, namely Chicken Pox (Varicella), Rotavirus and Hepatitis (ours get one, but it seems they get another Hep).

Will it be necessary for our children to have had these prior to their medical, as they are older than the age that they would normally have received the jabs in Oz?

Thanks

G x

comet555

No I don't think it's necessary at all, just bring the records with you when you do your medicals. Once you get here the doctors/nurses can work out a catch up schedule for your kids. My daughter needed to get the Hepatitis ones and possible one more, our schedule from Canada was different as well.

kar-kier

No you don't need to have them before you arrive. They will simply play 'catch up' when you get here! My (then) 18 month old had to get 7 in total, he had one every week for 6 weeks and he still has 1 more to get at the end of this month - the Hep has to be spaced out!

Rosscarbery

No, you don't need to have them before you arrive. Pre-schools/schools might ask to see your vaccination certs before enrolment; here in NSW I THINK (not 100% positive) that the public schools will insist on up to date Australian vaccinations for enrolment. Our (private) school just says that if there is an outbreak of something your child hasn't been vaccinated against you may be asked to keep them off school.

My 6 year old (4 on arrival) has just had the last of her Hep B jabs to make her totally "Australian schedule" immunized, I am leaving my 10 year old until he hits Y7 when he will be offered "catch up" Hep B and my 15 year old is needle phobic so can make his own decision around the risk of dirty needles/unsafe sex when he gets to that age!!!!!!!

Howard Jenings

We have 3 children who will need catch-up vaccinations, they were fully immunised in the UK, We live in WA does it cost anything for them?

Rosscarbery

HJ, you can phone the Australian Immunization Register (1800 653 809) and they will give you all the information you need. There is a "cut off" age beyond which you will have to pay for the vaccinations, but I don't know what that is.

slipshot

Best is to not worry about it until you get here.

The chickenpox vaccine which the UK does not do we decided not to give the kids here, working on the principle that if everyone else had it, the chances are they'll not get it, and we did not want to bung too much in them...

kar-kier

Nope, it's free!

ozhappy981

You may want to reconsider this when your children are a bit older (but before they hit puberty).

Chickenpox is one of those illnesses which causes a lot of problems if you get it as an adult. For examples, as an adult male you can end up infertile.

Also. once you've had chickenpox, the virus stays dormant in your tissue. It can come back to life later - as shingles - an extremey painful and debilitating condition that can lead to a lot of complications.

slipshot

Maybe so - but then again my friends and I never had it, and we have never been told to, yet we seem to be OK...? I've not known any adult have it, so I wondered how much of it was scaremonging, rather than being a major issue...?

mika24me

The chickenpox vaccine is given to children to halt the sick leave their parents need to take off work when the kids are sick. It is an economic vaccine, rather than a health one. (At least this is what I believe, but then I love a good conspiracy theory)

I am fairly certain state schools will take kids without their full immunisations, on the understanding that they take precautions if there is an outbreak. You may need to get an objector form first, which is countersigned by your GP (prepare yourself for a lecture)

kar-kier

My son is at a state school - has had the actual chicken pox virus as a young child, but not the vaccine as they have said he is now immune. However, he has not had his MMR, so I have been told that i will need to keep him off school if there is a measles outbreak!

homewardbound

if you are entitled to the MIA then you will need to catchup yes. Schools will take them not fully immunised. Also CCB will need fully immunised child too.

mika24me

unless you are exempt as a consciencous objector

ETA here is the link for school entry with regards to immunisation in Vic http://www.health.vic.gov.au/immunis...primary_school

you do not need your children to be immunised. However you do need to provide a certificate stating your child's immunisation status, and these are easiest to get by vaccinating your child.

The common misconception is that vaccinations are compulsory in Oz. They are not, it is just that in order to gain certain benefits you need either to vaccinate or to make an educated decision not to. They are trying to stop people just forgetting to vaccinate.

Japonica

Maybe it's different from state to state, but the friends I have whose unvaccinated children attend public school did not have any problems enrolling their children. And from what I have found out, vaccination is not mandatory and they cannot refuse entry to school based on immunisation status (or lack thereof).