Child and adolescent vaccinations

All vaccinations on the NT immunisation schedule are provided for free although some general practitioners (GPs) may charge a consultation fee.

In the NT, you can get your child vaccinated at:

• community care centres
• remote health clinics
• a general practice (GP)
• Aboriginal medical services
• participating pharmacies.

Some vaccines for adolescents year 7 and above are also offered through the NT school immunisation program. This includes those who are online or home-schooled.

For more information, ask your GP, immunisation provider or go to the Australian Government's Department of Health, Disability, and Ageing (DHDA) website.

Vaccinations are recorded on the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR).

You can get your child's immunisation history statement by:

• going to your online Medicare account through myGov on the Services Australia website or
• calling 1800 653 809.

You should always keep a copy of all vaccinations given to your child.

It is important for your childcare or school to have a copy of your child's immunisation record to help prevent outbreaks of diseases.

Through the NT school immunisation program, some vaccines are offered for free for adolescents year 7 and above who live in the NT.

Important information about the program:

• Nurses give the vaccines during scheduled school days.
• Before the vaccination, parents or guardians receive a consent form that they must sign.
• Consent forms can be  printed and completed, or saved to a desktop and completed as an electronic form.
• All signed forms must be returned to the school before vaccination day.

If your child misses school on vaccination day, they can receive the vaccine later at a health centre, vaccinating pharmacy or GP clinic.

From year 7 (around 12 years old), students are offered the following vaccines.

Diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine

Diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough (dTpa) are all potentially serious life-threatening diseases caused by bacterial infection.

Read more about the adolescent booster dose of diphtheria tetanus pertussis vaccine on the Australian Government's DHDA website.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine

The HPV vaccine protects against cancers of the cervix, anus, vulva, vagina, penis and throat.

For more information. go to the Australian Government's DHDA website or the Cancer Council website.

dTpa and HPV consent form and fact sheet

You must give consent for these vaccines by signing the dTpa and HPV consent form  PDF (1.6 MB).

For more information, get the fact sheet PDF (1.2 MB).

Meningococcal ACWY and meningococcal B vaccine

All students in year 9 (14 years old) are offered these two vaccines. This is different to other states, where it is offered in Year 10.

Meningococcal ACWY is given as a single dose.

Meningococcal B is given as a two dose course, 2 months apart. This is recommended regardless of previous meningococcal B vaccines received before the adolescent is 14 years old.

Meningococcal disease can cause complications that may result in permanent disabilities such as loss of limbs, deafness, blindness, scarring, kidney or liver failure. In some cases, it can even lead to death.

You must give consent to receive the vaccine. Get the meningococcal ACWY and meningococcal B vaccine consent form PDF (1.7 MB).

For more information:

• read more about the disease and the vaccine on the Australian Government's DHDA website
• get the fact sheet PDF (264.1 KB).

Pneumococcal and influenza vaccines for Aboriginal students

Aboriginal students in year 9 (14 years old) are offered this vaccine.

Pneumococcal disease is more common in Aboriginal Australians.

Influenza vaccine may be given to Aboriginal students (including boarders) of any age.

You must give consent to receive these vaccines. Get the pneumococcal and influenza vaccine consent form PDF (2.6 MB).

For more information:

• read more about pneumococcal disease
• read more about the flu vaccine
• get the fact sheet PDF (2.2 MB).