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Past mass immunisation programs and initiatives

State and Territory information:
  • ACT: (02) 6205 2300
  • NSW: Contact the local Public Health Units (look under "Health" in the White pages)
  • NT: (09) 8922 8315
  • QLD: (07) 3234 1500
  • SA: (08) 8226 7177
  • Tas: 1800 671 738 - (Tasmania Only) | (03) 6222 7724 - (Outside Tasmania)
  • Vic: 1300 882 008
  • WA: (08) 9321 1312

This webpage provides information about mass immunisation programs implemented in Australia.

Measles control campaign
Timeline of mass immunisation programs
Historical disease trends and vaccination policy

Measles control campaign

Australian measles control campaign 1998 - evaluation report

Guidelines for the control of measles outbreaks in Australia: technical report series No. 5
(This publication is being reviewed)

Let's work together to beat measles: A report on Australia's measles control campaign

Timeline of mass immunisation programs

2005: Child and adult pneumococcal and varicella and combination inactivated polio vaccine

2004: Adolescent dTpa

2003: Meningococcal C vaccine

2000: Universal hepatitis B vaccine for infants (including birth dose)

1999: Influenza vaccine

1997: Hepatitis B vaccine for adolescents

1992: Second dose of measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine introduced for children aged 10-16 years

1993: Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine introduced

1989: Combined measles-mumps-rubella vaccine introduced for children

1982: Mumps vaccine introduced

1970: Rubella (German measles) vaccine introduced

1968: Measles vaccine licensed

1966: Salk vaccine was replaced by the live oral Sabin vaccine

1956: Mass vaccination against polio began

1945: Pertussis vaccine introduced

1937-1945: Tetanus toxoid use extensively

1924: Mass immunisation began in Australia with the use of diphtheria toxoid in Victoria

Historical disease trends and vaccination policy

The PowerPoint presentation Historical vaccine preventable disease trends and policies (PDF 81 KB), which was prepared by the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS), contains graphs showing vaccine preventable disease trends and major policy initiatives for: