markcrook

OK three things to ask -

1. Do our children (6 and 3) need any further immunisations before going to Oz, we read somewhere that they may require hep B cover (can't remember where ) - is this true?

2. Will our home phone (telephone and answer machine), that presently work on a BT line, work in australia?

3. And finaly what about our TV, we have a Sony Trinitron which has a built in digital (free view) box and a couple of scart sockets - or should we just sell it and get a new one there?

Luma

1. Never heard of it. My kids didn't need anything extra
2. Our cordless Binatone phone works.
3. We bought a set top box here for about $100 and we watch our UK TV through that.

northernbird

My daughter who turned 4 in July and starts Kindy in Feb 07 recently had her MMR and Diptheria, Tetanus and Whooping Cough boosters which are also offered at the same age in England. Hep B is offered here in Australia and it is a series of 3 jabs over a 6 month period.

I don't think you need to have any of these before you come over.

GinaUK

If it's a DECT phone, it'll work fine. You just need to buy an adaptor as the Oz phone socket needs a different connector. This has been discussed many time before (inlcuding the weblink on where to buy the connector from). Sorry, but it's a bit late for me to go searching for that info. Do a search for "DECT" and the thread should come up. If you can't find it, I'll have a look for you in the morning.

Gina

Rosie Cheeks

Hi there

To satisfy centrelink for the child care rebate your children have to be fully immunised according to the Australian Schedule. There is an Australian Childhood Immunisation Register which works alongside Medicare and Centrelink, you need to inform these agencies about your childrens immunisation status.

As far as I know, the UK requirement for immunisation is exactly the same as Australia EXCEPT for Hep B. Our oldest son didn't have Hep B injections as a baby so was considered by Centrelink as not being fully up to date. He is now nearly 6 years old and he had his hepatitis injection yesterday. We decided to have him immunised against Hep A and B using a combined vaccine. I think it is really important to be immunised against hepatitis in this part of the world as it is a very common infection. If your children are not up to date and you do not want them to have Hep B, you have to go to your GP in Australia with a form that states you have an objection against this immunisation, and have the GP fill it in with you.

You could visit a travel medicine doctor before you leave the UK to disuss the possibility of the Hep injections or see one here, if you are travelling via asia I would advise that you have it done before you leave. You might even get yourself done as well? Make sure you bring all of the info about what vaccines your kids have had, and visit a GP here who will confirm it in writing, in order for you to satisfy the immunisation register. They will issue you with an immunisation History Statement, website www.medicareaustralia.gov.au. Before you visit a GP register your family for medicare if you can.

I haven't looked at this website myself yet but it might help you www.worldwidevaccines.com

I am sorry to say, and you will be pleased to know, that I have absolutely no advice whatsoever about TV's or telephones .