Table. Responses to conditions or circumstances identified through the pre-vaccination screening checklist
Condition or circumstance of person to be vaccinated | Action | Rationale3-5 |
---|---|---|
Unwell today:
|
| To avoid an adverse event in an already unwell person, or to avoid attributing symptoms to vaccination |
|
|
|
Anaphylaxis following a previous dose of the relevant vaccine |
| Anaphylaxis to a previous dose of a vaccine is a contraindication to receiving the same vaccine. |
Severe allergy to a vaccine component |
| Anaphylaxis to a vaccine component is generally a contraindication to receiving the vaccine. |
Received a live attenuated viral parenteral vaccine or BCG vaccine in past 4 weeks | Delay live attenuated viral parenteral vaccines by 4 weeks. | The immune response to a live attenuated viral parenteral vaccine may interfere with the response to a subsequent live viral vaccine given within 4 weeks. |
|
|
|
Planning a pregnancy or anticipating parenthood |
|
|
Pregnant |
|
|
History of Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS) |
| In people with a history of GBS, the condition may recur after receiving influenza vaccine. |
Born preterm |
| Preterm infants may be at increased risk of vaccine-preventable diseases (eg invasive pneumococcal disease). They may not mount an optimal immune response to certain vaccines (eg hepatitis B). |
Severe or chronic illness |
|
|
Bleeding disorder |
| Intramuscular injection may lead to haematomas in people with haemostasis disorders. |
Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person |
| Some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are at increased risk of some vaccine-preventable diseases, such as influenza, pneumococcal disease and hepatitis A. |
No functioning spleen |
| People with an absent or dysfunctional spleen are at increased risk of severe bacterial infections, especially invasive pneumococcal disease. |
Parent, grandparent or carer of an infant ≤6 months of age | Ensure that parents, grandparents and carers of infants up to 6 months of age have been offered all vaccines recommended for their age group, including dTpa (see Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis for more details). | People in close contact with newborns are the most likely sources of vaccine-preventable diseases, especially pertussis, in the newborn. |
Lives with someone who is immunocompromised |
| Household members are the most likely sources of vaccine-preventable diseases among people who are immunocompromised. People who are immunocompromised are often unable to be vaccinated, especially with live viral vaccines. |
Planning travel | See Vaccination for international travellers. | Travellers may be at increased risk of certain vaccine-preventable diseases. |
Occupational or lifestyle factors | See Vaccination for people at occupational risk, Vaccination for other groups, and Table. Catch-up schedule for people ≥10 years of age (for vaccines recommended on a population level in Catch-up vaccination. | Workers in certain occupations (eg healthcare workers, and people working in early childhood education and care) and people with certain lifestyle factors (eg people who inject drugs) may be at increased risk of certain vaccine-preventable diseases. |
BCG = bacille Calmette–Guérin; dTpa = reduced antigen content diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis; MMR = measles-mumps-rubella; MMRV = measles-mumps-rubella-varicella.
Last updated:
8 June 2018
Last reviewed:
8 June 2018
Definitions
- BCG
- bacille Calmette-Guérin
- MMR
- measles-mumps-rubella
- MMRV
- measles-mumps-rubella-varicella
- GBS
- Guillain-Barré syndrome
- dTpa
- diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis vaccine, reduced antigen content formulation
Printed content may be out of date. For up to date information, always refer to the digital version: https://immunisationhandbook.health.gov.au/resources/handbook-tables/table-responses-to-conditions-or-circumstances-identified-through-the-pre.