Council does not administer the COVID-19 vaccine. To learn about getting vaccinated see the COVID section below.
Immunisation records may be accessed through your MyGov account. Council has an immunisation program for infants, children and adults, including secondary school children through our school immunisation program. All eligible children can receive vaccinations on the Australian Standard Vaccination Schedule free of charge through our immunisation sessions.
Appointment only
All immunisation sessions are now only available by appointment (see below) due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Social distancing measures will be in place at immunisation session venues. If doors to the library venues are closed, please wait at the door and a staff member will escort you into the building for your appointment.
We ask that you stay for a further 15 minutes after any immunisation. Our team of professional nurses are happy to answer any of your questions on the day.
Influenza vaccination
Influenza vaccinations are now available at our community immunisation sessions.
The influenza vaccine is available free to:
If you do not fall into one of these categories, the influenza vaccine will cost $25.
To book an appointment for a flu vaccine at one of our community sessions please visit our booking information below.
For further information about the 2021 Influenza vaccination visit the Victorian Department of Health's flu vaccine page.
Council is committed to providing a professional immunisation service in a comfortable, safe and friendly environment.
Due to the COVID-19 all visits are now by appointment only and social distancing measures will be in place.
To book an online appointment for vaccination please click on the venue and date link below you would like to attend:
Bairnsdale
Paynesville
Lakes Entrance
Bruthen sessions are not available until further notice.
All children from 6 months to 5 years of age will be offered free influenza vaccination when presenting for regular scheduled vaccinations.
We ask that you stay for a further 15 minutes after any immunisation. Our team of professional nurses are happy to answer any of your questions on the day.
School-based immunisations in Victoria has long been the traditional means of ensuring high levels of coverage against vaccine preventable diseases are achieved in secondary school aged children. Council offers immunisations at all secondary schools throughout our municipality.
Students requiring school vaccinations may visit any of our immunisation sessions by appointment. To make an appointment, see our community sessions above.
Useful links:
The influenza vaccination is funded and recommended for all children from 6 months to 5 years of age.
Birth
2 months and 4 months
First visit - 6 weeks to 2 months (no earlier than 42 days old)
Second visit - 4 months
Childhood Pneumococcal disease
Diphtheria/Tetanus/Whooping Cough/Poliomyelitis/Haemophillus Influenza type B(Hib)/Hepatitis B
Meningococcal B (Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander)
Third visit – 6 months (no earlier than 24 weeks old)
Diphtheria/Tetanus/Whooping Cough/Poliomyelitis/Haemophillus Influenza type B(Hib)/Hepatitis B
Childhood Pneumococcal disease
Meningococcal B (Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander)
Measles/Mumps/Rubella/Varicella (Chicken Pox)
Diphtheria/Tetanus/Whooping Cough
Diphtheria/Tetanus/Whooping Cough/Poliomyelitis
Immunisation Schedule Victoria
Our Immunisation Program does not provide Q fever vaccines. A list of local providers can be found on the Australian Q Fever Register.
At this time Council does not administer COVID-19 vaccine. To learn about getting vaccinated for COVID-19 and the vaccine roll out visit the Department of Health's COVID vaccine page.
There is a COVID-19 community vaccination clinic at the Bairnsdale City Football Oval, Macarthur Street, Bairnsdale. If you are eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccination you can get your first or second dose at this clinic.
For all information on this clinic, see the Bairnsdale Regional Health Service website.
Do you have questions about immunisation?
Visit the Talking About Immunisation website.
Q- What is Immunisation?
A – Immunisation protects children (and adults) against harmful infections before they come into contact with them in the community. Immunisation uses the body’s natural defence mechanism – the immunise response – to build resistance to specific infections. Immunisation helps children to stay healthy by preventing serious infections. The risks of the diseases are far greater than the very small risks of immunisation.
Q – Why is immunisation still necessary in this day and age?
A – Many diseases prevented by immunisation are spread directly from person to person, so good food, water and hygiene do not stop infection. Despite excellent hospital care, significant illness, disability and death can still be caused by diseases which can be prevented by immunisation.
Q – Are there any reasons to delay immunisation?
A – There are very few medical reasons to delay immunisation. If a child is sick with a high temperature (over 38.5 degrees celcius) then immunisation should be postponed until the child is recovering. A child who has a runny nose, but is not ill can be immunised, as a child who is on antibiotics and obviously recovering from an illness.
Q – What are the side-effects of immunisation?
A – Common side-effects of immunisation are redness and soreness at the site of an injection and mild fever. You may consider using paracetamol to help ease the fever and soreness. More serious reactions to immunisation are very rare.
Q – Do vaccines work for all children?
A – Even when someone has had all the doses of a vaccine, there is a small possibility that they might not be protected against the disease – but measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus, polio, hepatitis B and Hib vaccines protect more than 95% of children who have completed the course.
Q – What about natural immunity?
A – Natural immunity and vaccine-induced immunity are both natural responses of the body’s immune system. The body’s immune response in both circumstances is the same. However, the wild or natural form of a disease exposes people to a high risk of serious illness and occasionally death.
Q – Can immunisation overload the immune system?
A – No. Children and adults come into contact with many antigens (substances that provoke a reaction from the immunise system) each day, and the immune system responds to each antigen in specific ways to protect the body. Without a vaccine, a child can only become immune to a disease by being exposed to infection, with the risk of severe illness. If illness occurs after vaccination, it is usually insignificant.