Infection prevention and control guidelines

6. Staff screening immunisation and infection management

Vaccinations for health professionals

      1. Vaccinations for health professionals

Vaccinations for health professionals

The Australian immunisation handbook recommends that all healthcare workers, including all workers and students directly caring for patients, or handling human tissue, blood or body substances, receive vaccines against the following:

  • hepatitis B
  • influenza
  • measles-mumps-rubella (if non-immune)
  • pertussis – diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis (dTpa) vaccine
  • varicella (if non-immune).

Hepatitis A vaccination is recommended for people who provide care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, in the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia or Western Australia.3

The Australian immunisation handbook provides up-to-date information on serological testing for hepatitis B and measles-mumps-rubella.

Practices should also monitor and follow the latest guidance on vaccination against COVID-19 from the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care.4

Other vaccines may be recommended, such as inactivated poliovirus for healthcare workers who may have contact with people with polio, and bacille Calmette–Guérin (BCG) for healthcare workers who are likely to encounter patients with tuberculosis, or other vaccines during outbreaks.3

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