Glossary of immunisation terms

ACCHOHealthcare access

Also: Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation

ACCHOs provide holistic, culturally appropriate primary health care under community governance. Services and vaccination arrangements differ between organisations. Contact the service to check availability and eligibility. Referral and any sharing of health information should reflect the person's wishes, consent and applicable privacy requirements.

NACCHO: community-controlled health

adjuvantImmunology

Adjuvants help the immune system respond to an antigen. They are used in some influenza and other vaccines. Ingredients vary by product; the clinician checks the appropriate product for the person.

Handbook: fundamentals of immunisation

AhpraRegulators & registers

Also: AHPRA · Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency

Ahpra supports the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme. The Pharmacy Board sets pharmacist registration standards, including continuing professional development. Victorian vaccination authorisation and training requirements are separate from registration. Check the public practitioner register and the relevant state requirements; registration alone does not establish authority for every vaccine or age group.

Ahpra: practitioner registers

AIRRegulators & registers

Also: Australian Immunisation Register

AIR is the national vaccination register. National mandatory reporting covers COVID-19, influenza, NIP and Japanese encephalitis vaccinations; other provider obligations can also apply. Services Australia advises reporting within 24 hours if practical, otherwise within 10 business days. Online records may take time to update and can be incomplete. Check your Immunisation History Statement through Medicare linked to myGov and contact the provider about missing doses.

Services Australia: submitting information using AIR (PDF)

antigenImmunology

Also: antigens

An antigen can be part of a germ or toxin. Vaccines present selected antigens, or instructions for making them, to help develop immune memory. The immune response and level of protection differ between vaccines and people.

WHO: how vaccines work

ATAGIRegulators & registers

Also: Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation

ATAGI reviews clinical and scientific evidence and provides advice about vaccination in Australia. Its recommendations inform the Australian Immunisation Handbook and government decisions. A clinical recommendation does not by itself establish government funding or a pharmacist's authority to administer a vaccine.

Australian Government: ATAGI

Australian Immunisation HandbookPrograms & schedules

Also: Immunisation Handbook · the Handbook

The Handbook provides guidance on vaccines, timing, catch-up, precautions, contraindications and vaccination procedures. Recommendations need to be considered with current product information, funding rules and state authorisation. The clinician assesses the individual. After vaccination, observation is at least 15 minutes, or longer when advised.

Australian Immunisation Handbook

Catch-up schedulePrograms & schedules

An immunisation provider uses available records and current recommendations to decide which doses are needed and the intervals between them. Funding is assessed separately. NIP catch-up funding is available to eligible people under 20 and to eligible refugees and humanitarian entrants of any age; vaccine-specific and other program rules still apply.

Handbook: catch-up vaccination

cold chainSafety & reporting

Most routinely stored vaccines require +2 to +8 degrees Celsius, but requirements differ by product and stage of storage. Follow current product instructions and national guidance. A temperature excursion needs assessment before affected stock is used. This definition does not certify the storage arrangements of a particular service.

Australian Government: Strive for 5

contraindicationSafety & reporting

Anaphylaxis after a previous dose or to a vaccine component is a contraindication. Other contraindications depend on the vaccine, such as significant immunosuppression for certain live vaccines. A precaution may require postponement, a different plan or specialist advice. The immuniser screens the person before vaccination; mild illness alone is not usually a contraindication.

Handbook: preparing for vaccination

herd immunityImmunology

Also: community immunity · population immunity

Community immunity can reduce exposure for people who remain susceptible. Its extent depends on the infection, vaccine, immunity over time and contact patterns. A single coverage percentage does not guarantee that transmission stops. It does not replace recommended vaccination or provide complete protection for an individual.

WHO: how vaccines work

inactivated vaccineVaccine types

Examples include hepatitis A and inactivated polio vaccines. Other non-live vaccines use selected components rather than a whole killed germ. Non-live does not mean suitable for everyone; product-specific precautions and contraindications still apply.

Handbook: fundamentals of immunisation

live vaccineVaccine types

Also: live attenuated vaccine

Examples include MMR and yellow fever vaccines. Live vaccines can cause reactions and are generally unsuitable during pregnancy or significant immunosuppression. Vaccine-specific contraindications and precautions require clinical assessment.

Handbook: fundamentals of immunisation

mRNA vaccineVaccine types

Also: messenger RNA vaccine

The antigen prompts an immune response. The mRNA is broken down by the body and does not enter the cell nucleus. This platform is used in some COVID-19 vaccines. Product eligibility and recommendations must be checked individually.

Handbook: fundamentals of immunisation

NIPPrograms & schedules

Also: National Immunisation Program

NIP eligibility depends on the vaccine and factors such as age, pregnancy, medical risk and Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander status. Medicare eligibility generally applies. States and territories may fund additional programs with different rules. Vaccine funding and administration fees depend on the service pathway; eligible NIPVIP services have no patient charge.

Australian Government: NIP schedule

NIPVIPPrograms & schedules

Also: National Immunisation Program Vaccinations in Pharmacy

Eligible NIPVIP services have no patient charge, including no administration fee. The pharmacy checks the person, vaccine, age, funding criteria, delivery setting and clinical suitability. Participation does not make every vaccination or off-site clinic eligible. This pharmacy has confirmed its participation.

Pharmacy Programs Administrator: NIPVIP

pharmacist immuniserHealthcare access

In Victoria, a pharmacist immuniser must meet the applicable Secretary Approval, training and practice requirements. Authorised vaccines, age limits and service pathways differ. Registration alone is not an immunisation endorsement or authority to give every vaccine. Ask the pharmacy to confirm the relevant service and individual suitability.

Victorian Department of Health: pharmacist immunisers

SAEFVICSafety & reporting

Also: Surveillance of Adverse Events Following Vaccination in the Community · SAFEVAC reporting website

SAEFVIC receives and assesses reports of adverse events after vaccination in Victoria. SAFEVAC is the reporting platform, not a rebrand of SAEFVIC. A report does not prove causation. Reporting support is available on 1300 882 924, option 1. Reporting does not replace medical care; call 000 for a medical emergency.

SAEFVIC: Victorian reporting information

TGARegulators & registers

Also: Therapeutic Goods Administration

The TGA assesses vaccines for registration, regulates their supply and monitors safety after use. Most vaccines supplied in Australia are included in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods. Specific lawful access pathways also exist for unapproved products. A report of an event after vaccination does not by itself prove the vaccine caused it.

Therapeutic Goods Administration

TIS NationalHealthcare access

Also: Translating and Interpreting Service

TIS National provides interpreting services. The Free Interpreting Service has provider, patient and service eligibility rules, including Medicare eligibility for many pharmacy encounters. Some services are excluded. Ask the pharmacy to confirm arrangements and any cost. The general contact number is 131 450. Machine translation is not a substitute for a clinical interpreter.

TIS National: pharmacy eligibility

Official sources checked on 25 October 2026. Recommendations, funding and service rules can change. Confirm personal advice with your clinician. Spot something out of date? Tell us.