CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY CLOSURE

The RCH Immunisation Centre will be closed from 4:30pm on Friday 20th December 2024 and will reopen at 9am on Monday 6th January 2025.

*Please note that the telephone advice lines will be unattended over this time. 

Covid-19 Vaccines

The Pfizer monovalent (Omicron XBB.1.5) Covid-19 vaccine is now available for eligible children aged 6 months and older.

To book for an appointment for a Covid-19 vaccine through the Royal Children's Hospital Immunisation Service please call 1300 882 924 (Option 2)

Please contact us if you require more information. 

Coming to the Immunisation Centre

Led by a specialist nursing team (Nurse Unit Manager: Tara Hearn), the centre provides specialist immunisation advice. The team supports outpatient clinics such as the Immunisation Clinic (Tuesday am), Immigrant Health (Monday pm) and dedicated BCG clinics. It also provides seasonal vaccines, such as influenza and delivers the RSV immunoglobulin for at risk infants.

When coming to the Immunisation Centre at the RCH, the staff are committed to ensuring that the experience is a positive one, for both the child and the family.  Please click to see one of our RCH patients being immunised.  

Needle phobia

Pain and anxiety associated with vaccine administration can be a source of distress for children and their families.  There are a range of techniques that can be used to reduce this pain and anxiety, such as effective preparation, distraction techniques and pain management strategies.  When these strategies are unsuccessful, the Immunisation Drop-in centre can offer a unique 'Immunisation under sedation' service.  

To find out more, please contact the Immunisation service on 1300 882 924 (Option 2) and bookings are essential.  Please click to see a child's guide to nitrous oxide.

Meningococcal vaccines

For more information on Meningococcal vaccines, the different products and their schedules, please see the Melbourne Vaccine Education Centre website.   With a Nurse Practitioner - Lynne Addlem and Sonja Elia, now available, vaccines that are not on the National Immunisation Program, such as Meningococcal B and ACWY are now available for purchase.  

Travel

A dedicated BCG vaccine clinic is held on Tuesday mornings for infants aged less than 12 months. For any other travel advice, or for BCG vaccine for infants aged greater than 12 months, click the BCG clinics for children.   

We are now accepting referrals for the BCG vaccine.  The clinic is currently booked up until March 2025 (for planned travel from April 2025 onwards).  Please check this website regularly for updates.  

Adverse events following immunisation

In Victoria, adverse events following immunisation (AEFI) should be notified to SAEFVIC (the Surveillance of Adverse Events Following Vaccination In the Community).

This specialist service helps immunisation providers and the community manage children and adults who have had an AEFI.  Click here for contact details.

These pages contain a number of resources that the Immunisation service provides to clinicians at the Royal Children's Hospital. Please contact Tara Hearn if you have any suggestions for improvements to these pages