Immunisation schedule

The National Immunisation Schedule is a series of free immunisation visits designed to provide your family with the best protection against vaccine-preventable diseases.  It is important to get immunised on time every time, as many of the vaccines need more than one dose to work best.

Immunisation Schedule

Here is the immunisation schedule for New Zealand:

6 Weeks

Rotavirus (start first dose before 15 weeks) – 1 oral vaccine (RotaTeq®)
Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussis/Polio/Hepatitis B/Haemophilus influenzae type b – 1 injection (INFANRIX® -hexa)
Pneumococcal – 1 injection (PREVENAR 13®)

3 Months

Rotavirus – 1 oral vaccine (RotaTeq®)
Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussis/Polio/Hepatitis B/Haemophilus influenzae type b – 1 injection (INFANRIX® -hexa)
Pneumococcal – 1 injection (PREVENAR 13®)

5 Months

Rotavirus – 1 oral vaccine (RotaTeq®)
Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussis/Polio/Hepatitis B/Haemophilus influenzae type b – 1 injection (INFANRIX® -hexa)
Pneumococcal– 1 injection (PREVENAR 13®)

15 Months

Haemophilus influenzae type b – 1 injection (Act-HIB)
Measles/Mumps/Rubella – 1 injection (M-M-R® ll)
Pneumococcal – 1 injection (PREVENAR 13®)

4 years

Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussis/Polio – 1 injection (INFANRIX™-IPV)
Measles/Mumps/Rubella – 1 injection (M-M-R® ll)

11 years

Tetanus/Diphtheria/Pertussis – 1 injection (BOOSTRIX™)

12 years – girls only

Human papillomavirus – 3 doses given over 6 months (GARDASIL®)

45 years

Diphtheria/Tetanus – 1 injection (ADT™ Booster)

65 years

Diphtheria/Tetanus – 1 injection (ADT™ Booster)

Influenza – 1 Injection (annually)

Notes on immunisation:

• Occasionally health professionals will recommend families to have their newborn babies vaccinated against hepatitis B or tuberculosis.
• Pertussis = whooping cough.

Immunisation during pregnancy in New Zealand

Immunisation against influenza and whooping cough is very important to help protect you and your unborn baby, and to pass your protection to your baby after they are born.  Some of a mother’s immunity is passed along to their baby during pregnancy.   Whooping cough is not like many other diseases, in that immunity to this disease decreases over time – so although you may have been vaccinated against or had the disease as a child, you can catch it again.  In recent years, there have been significant outbreaks of whooping cough in both New Zealand and Australia, and your immunisation during pregnancy is the best protection you have to offer your vulnerable newborn before they can become immunised at six weeks of age.  Influenza can affect pregnant women, babies in the womb and newborns very negatively, so it is also important that you do everything possible to prevent yourself from coming down with influenza while pregnant.  Both vaccines offered to pregnant women are safe for both you and your baby.

For further information, please see the Ministry of Health website.

To read more about immunisation, read our series of Kiwi Families articles:

Where to get immunised gives you information on how to obtain immunisation for your child.

Risks & complications of immunisations

Useful Immunisation Websites

http://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/preventative-health-wellness/immunisation/new-zealand-immunisation-schedule – Information on the current immunisation schedule

The National Immunisation Advisory Centre website