“But I had that vaccine when I was a child. Surely I don’t need it again?”
"Why do I need vaccines if I'm returning to my visit my country of birth?"
"Which vaccinations are recommended for older Australians?"
These are common questions for immunisation providers such as Travelvax, so we have summarised some of the facts about four categories of vaccinations:
Childhood immunisations: When it comes to the immunisations we routinely had – or should have had – in childhood, it’s a common misconception that they all last for life.
Influenza: The flu can be life-threatening for some people and the risk of complications is higher in children aged 6 months to under 5 years, people 6 months and over with specified medical risk conditions, and seniors 65 years and over.
Hepatitis B: Babies are vaccinated against hepatitis B to protect them against this potentially serious viral infection of the liver, but adults are also advised to have the vaccine course for a number of reasons such as work, travel and underlying medical conditions.
Pneumococcal disease: While anyone can become infected, the risk of severe invasive pneumococcal disease is highest in young infants, adults aged >70 years, Indigenous people and Torres Strait Islanders and people with certain underlying medical conditions.