If a migrant, refugee or person seeking asylum has no valid documentation of vaccination, they should start a catch-up schedule. See Catch-up vaccination and the fact sheet Free catch-up vaccines for refugees and humanitarian entrants aged 20 years and over.
Adult migrants, refugees and people seeking asylum may need vaccination, especially with MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine. This is particularly important for women of child-bearing age to protect against rubella (see Pre-vaccination serological testing). Some refugees may have received a dose of MMR as part of their pre-departure screening, but may need another dose on arrival in Australia. 1
If a child is ≥12 months of age, they can receive their 1st doses of the following vaccines at the same visit:
- DTPa (diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis)
- hepatitis B
- IPV (inactivated poliovirus)
- MMR
- MenC (meningococcal C)
- 13vPCV (13-valent pneumococcal conjugate)
- Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b)
For details, see Catch-up vaccination.
Live attenuated viral vaccines
People may have received live attenuated viral vaccines as part of pre-departure screening. These may include measles-containing vaccines or yellow fever vaccine (especially people arriving from central and northern Africa).
Allow at least 4 weeks before giving any other live attenuated viral vaccines. Also note that live attenuated viral vaccines may interfere with tuberculin skin test reactions (see Tuberculosis).
Pre-vaccination serological testing
Serological testing before vaccination is not routinely recommended. However, it may be needed for:
- migrants, refugees and people seeking asylum from hepatitis B–endemic countries to detect current or past hepatitis B infection (also see Hepatitis B)
- female migrants, refugees and people seeking asylum of child-bearing age to identify women who are seronegative for rubella and need vaccination (see Rubella)