The Queensland School Immunisation Program (QSIP) will allow year 7 children to be vaccinated through school for free this year.

Under this program, children will be eligible for vaccines based on their year level, rather than their age. All children entering year 7 this year will armed with a consent pack containing a disease information sheet, benefits of immunisation and common side-effects, and a vaccination consent card.

Parents are advised to read the information sheet prior to signing the consent card permitting QSIP to proceed with the vaccinations.

According to the Queensland Government website, only students with a completed and signed consent card on the day of the school immunisation clinic, will be vaccinated.

Those parents who do not want their child to access vaccination through this program should complete and sign the ‘No to Vaccination’ section of the consent card, and provide an explanation as to their reasons for such.

If a child is vaccination by a GP or doctor external to school, the vaccine will be free, but parents may be charged a consult fee.

For those parents who choose to home school their children, the vaccines are also funded for their children aged between 12 and 14, and for those attending a special school.

The Vaccination Consent card can be downloaded here.

To learn more about the year 7 QSIP, and the vaccinations being made available to year 7 students, head to the School Immunisation section of the Queensland Government website, here.