Services

Immunisations

Immunisations are provided at all primary care practices and are one of the most important services they provide. Immunisation has led to the decline of many lethal diseases including, most recently, meningococcal B meningitis.
Babies are routinely immunised for tetanus, polio, whooping cough, diphtheria, hepatitis B and haemophilus influenza type B, which are now combined in one injection. Immunisation for measles, mumps and rubella are also provided in one injection. Pneumococcal vaccine is available to all babies in New Zealand as part of their free childhood immunisations and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is free for girls and young women up to their 20th birthday.

Injections are normally done by specially qualified nurses or doctors, having ensured beforehand that the child is not ill or suffering from allergies. Each child has his or her own document to keep a record of these injections. Under the age of 5 this is usually their Well Child book. The immunisation record will need to be shown, for example, when starting school or early childcare. The staff will also record the immunisation details on New Zealand’s National Immunisation Register. This information system holds details of all immunisations given to children here. The computer will alert families when immunisations are due.

The influenza, tuberculosis (TB), hepatitis A and meningococcal A, C, Y, W135 vaccines are each provided free for certain eligible groups but can be purchased by other people if they want them. Chicken pox, rotavirus and travel vaccines are also available but since these carry no government subsidy people have to pay for them.

Reactions to immunisation are increasingly extremely rare following improvements in vaccine research and production.

For more information click on the following link http://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/preventative-health-wellness/immunisation