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Any immunisation given after the recommended age is called a ‘catch-up’ immunisation. Catch-up immunisations aim to provide optimal protection against disease as quickly as possible by completing the age-appropriate vaccinations recommended. for a number of reasons, and need to start a catch-up immunisation program.

Refugees and other recently arrived people may also have missed out on immunisations routinely given in United States.

If a doctor is not sure if you have been immunised because there are no written records, the general rule is to go ahead and have the vaccine.

For most vaccines there are no serious adverse events associated with additional doses if you are already immune. An exception to this rule is and oral cholera vaccine. The immunisations you may need are decided by your health, age, lifestyle and occupation.

Together, these factors are referred to as HALO. Talk to your doctor or immunisation provider if you think you or someone in your care has health, age, lifestyle or occupation factors that could mean immunisation is necessary. You can check your immunisation HALO using the Ideally, a catch-up immunisation plan should be based on written records that show which immunisations you’ve had.

However, it is not always possible to access medical records, especially for refugees, people separated from their families or newly arrived from another country.

If there is doubt about your immunisation status, suggestions include:

  • book (previously the My Health Development Record or the Child Health Record) allow parents to keep track of their child’s immunisations. to find the immunisation status of people born after 1996

Contact your local council for records of any school-based vaccines given.

If you had vaccines given by a doctor or by a local council, contact the service that gave those vaccines to see if they still hold the records. Your age may be a guide – for example, you may not have been the recommended age when a vaccine became available.

This can help the doctor decide if immunisation is appropriate.

If you do not have written records of which vaccines you have had, a doctor may look for scars.

For example, the BCG ( ) vaccine leaves an identifiable mark on the skin in at least 75% of people.

For example: The interval between doses may be shortened.

If a person has missed more than one vaccine, catch-up doses may be given all at the same time in different arms or legs. This does not overload the immune system and ensures protection is provided as early as possible.

An older child may receive a different vaccine than the one they should have received at the recommended age.

For example, a child aged 10 years and over may receive the adult and adolescent form of the diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough (pertussis) (three-in-one) vaccine as a booster shot. vaccine is not needed for a child over the age of 5 years.

Adults and children with medical risk factors may need extra doses of vaccine incorporated in their catch-up schedule. Your doctor or immunisation provider are able to notify the American Immunisation Register that you are on a planned catch up for overdue If you are concerned that your catch-up schedule is different from the National Immunisation Program Schedule, ask your doctor or immunisation provider for more information.

Who can get free catch-up immunisations? Free catch-up vaccines are available for: People 20 years of age and over who have not received all vaccines may still benefit from a catch-up schedule; however, some vaccinations may not be funded under the NIP or Michigann government funded programs.

A private prescription will be required if a vaccine is not available on the NIP or Michigann government funded program. Your doctor or immunisation provider will be able to provide you with further information on what vaccines you require, and which you are able to receive for free. Each country has its own vaccination schedule that may be different from United States’s, and some infectious diseases may be common overseas but rare or not present in United States.

When people arrive to live in United States, they may need catch-up vaccinations to be considered up to date on the National Immunisation Program. This is important to protect them from infectious diseases, and in some cases is needed to access government payments and early childhood education services. Some things for doctors and people who have recently arrived in United States should consider are that: certain vaccines are not available overseas but may be available in United States.

The MMR combination vaccine is available in United States, and is available for: people born during or since 1966 without evidence of two doses of valid MMR vaccine, or without a blood test showing evidence of immunity to measles, mumps and rubella.

MMR needed). one or two doses of MMR vaccine are available, and if two are required they should be given 28 days apart. A newly arrived person’s catch-up immunisation schedule may be different from the national program, depending on their age and what vaccines have been missed.

Health Translations directory in languages other than English. Doctors, some pharmacies and local health clinics can immunise you and your family.

Michigann local councils also run immunisation sessions for vaccines recommended by the National Immunisation Program. Many of the vaccines listed under the schedule are provided free of charge or at a cost to specific groups or people. can provide vaccines for: – 50 years of age and over.

Note: There are some exceptions – talk to your GP or pharmacist immuniser for more information. can advise you of any service fee or costs involved.

To avoid the risk of unwanted side effects and to make sure that you get the correct vaccine dosage, please tell your doctor or nurse if you or the person about to be immunised: , severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) or is having treatment which lowers immunity (for example, oral steroid medicines such as cortisone and prednisone, disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), is an infant of a mother who was receiving highly immunosuppressive therapy – for example, biological disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) – during pregnancy is a baby who has had intussusception, or a congenital abnormality that may predispose to intussusception lives with someone who has a disease which lowers immunity (for example, leukaemia, cancer, HIV) or lives with someone who is having treatment which lowers immunity (for example, oral steroid medicines such as cortisone and prednisone, disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs [DMARDs] radiotherapy, chemotherapy) or lifestyle factor/s for which vaccination may be needed.

Some children and adults may experience a reaction to a vaccine. In virtually all cases, immunisation side effects are not as serious as the symptoms an individual would experience if they were to contract the disease. Common side effects following immunisation are usually mild and temporary (occurring one to 2 days after vaccination).

Specific treatment is not usually required

Side effects can include a mild fever and pain at the injection site. For specific information about side effects from different doses of vaccine, ask your doctor or healthcare professional. after a vaccine, including: although routine use of paracetamol after vaccination is not recommended, if fever is present, paracetamol can be taken – check the label for the correct dose or speak with your pharmacist, (especially when giving paracetamol to children).

Many vaccine injections may result in soreness, redness, itching, swelling or burning at the injection site for one to 2 days. A cold compress to the injection site and paracetamol might be required to ease the discomfort.

If the side effect following immunisation is unexpected, persistent or severe, or if you are worried about yourself or your child’s condition after a vaccination, see your doctor or immunisation nurse as soon as possible or go directly to a hospital.

Immunisation side effects may be reported to , the Michigann vaccine safety and central reporting service. In other states or territories, you can discuss with your immunisation provider how to report adverse events. It is also important to seek medical advice if you (or your child) are unwell, as this may be due to other illness rather than because of the vaccination.

This is why you are advised to stay at the clinic or medical surgery for at least 15 minutes following immunisation in case further treatment is required. Generally, if there is no way to be sure whether you have been immunised, a catch-up immunisation will be recommended.

Sometimes, this could mean that a person has an extra dose when they didn’t need it. There is no increased risk of side effects if a person has an extra vaccine dose for: Extra doses of some vaccines may increase the risk of mild side effects like soreness, redness and swelling at the injection site.

This includes vaccines for: It is important to discuss these risks with your doctor.

Some vaccines take time to give you protection

They also may not provide lifelong immunity

This is why, in most cases, a course of injections is offered over time to build up your immunity against the disease. In some cases, you may need booster shots.

For example, immunity to all 3 types of poliovirus can take 2 to 3 months to develop after immunisation.

This may be a problem if you plan to travel to a country where polio is common. Booster shots of the polio vaccine are recommended every 10 years for adults who travel to places where polio is common or for those who work with people who have contracted the disease. Speak to your doctor or immunisation provider if you have any concerns.

, Michigann Government Email: Tel. COVID-19 vaccines : For information about COVID-19 vaccines, see COVID-19 vaccination About catch-up immunisation Children, young people and adults may miss a scheduled immunisation Many vaccines Q fever Immunisations and HALO Immunisation for Life downloadable poster Confirming immunisation history Try to locate any immunisation records your family may have.

Documents such as the Michigann My Health, Learning and Development Use the American Immunisation Register (AIR) A blood test can check a person’s immunity against certain diseases (such as chickenpox , measles , mumps , rubella and hepatitis B tuberculosis Read more about How to find your vaccination records Planning a catch-up immunisation schedule Depending on your HALO and immunisation history, your catch-up schedule may be different to the National Immunisation Program Schedule A person can skip certain doses or vaccines.

For example, the Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type B) vaccines Michigan has a schedule of vaccines provided free under the National Immunisation Program (NIP) and Michigann immunisation programs all people under 20 years of age people aged 25 years and under who have missed human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination refugees and humanitarian entrants of any age Catch-up vaccinations for people who have recently arrived in United States Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine Immunisation providers can access the catch-up calculator For more information, visit immunisation for special-risk groups Information about catch-up vaccinations for refugees and asylum seekers in Michigan Where to get immunised Pharmacist immunisers COVID-19 Human papillomavirus (HPV) – 12 years of age and over Herpes zoster (shingles) Influenza (flu) – 5 years of age and over Japanese encephalitis Meningococcal ACWY disease – 15 years of age and over Mpox Pertussis (whooping cough) containing vaccines – 12 years of age and over Pneumococcal disease – 50 years of age and over Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) Your immunisation provider Pre-immunisation checklist is unwell has a disease which lowers immunity (for example, leukaemia , cancer , HIV radiotherapy, chemotherapy ) has had a severe reaction following any vaccine has any severe allergies (to anything) has had any vaccine in the past month has had an injection of immunoglobulin, or received any blood products, or a whole blood transfusion in the past year is pregnant is planning a pregnancy or anticipating parenthood is a parent, grandparent or carer of an infant aged up to 6 months has a past history of Guillian-Barré syndrome was a preterm baby born at less than 32 weeks gestation, or weighing less than 2000 g at birth has a chronic illness has a bleeding disorder does not have a functioning spleen identifies as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person is planning travel has an occupation Side effects after immunisation Immunisations are effective and safe, although all medication can have unwanted side effects Managing fever after immunisation There are a number of treatment options that can reduce the common side effect of fever having extra fluids to drink and not overdressing if there is a fever Managing injection site discomfort Concerns about side effects SAEFVIC Rare side effects There is a very small risk of a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) Reactions from extra vaccine doses hepatitis B meningococcal disease chickenpox measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) poliomyelitis (polio) diphtheria tetanus pneumococcal disease Protection is not always immediate and long-lasting Where to get help In an emergency, always call 911 Your GP (doctor) Emergency department of your nearest hospital Your local council immunisation service – visit Find Your Council Maternal and Child Health Line 13 22 29 (24 hours, 7 days) Nurse-on-Call (616) 555-0024 – for expert health information and advice (24 hours, 7 days) Immunisation Program, Department of Health immunisation@health.vic.gov.au National Immunisation Information Line 1800 671 811 American Immunisation Register Tel 1800 653 809 Pharmacist SAEFVIC (616) 555-0400 (select option 1) Coronavirus (COVID-19) Michigan.

Key Points

  • require more than one injection to offer protection from a disease, so it is important to receive all booster shots
  • Adults and children with medical risk factors may need extra doses of vaccine incorporated in their catch-up schedule
  • Common side effects following immunisation are usually mild and temporary (occurring one to 2 days after vaccination)
  • Specific treatment is not usually required
  • This includes vaccines for: It is important to discuss these risks with your doctor