Charlton Medical encourages you to maintain an up-to-date vaccination status for annual vaccines such as influenza, childhood vaccinations such as MMR and Infanrix and travel vaccinations such as typhoid and Hepatitis A. Opportunistic vaccination can be undertaken on an individual basis or you can proactively book a consultation to update or maintain your vaccination status.

If you have any questions relating to vaccination, our doctors are happy to discuss these concerns in greater detail than a normal vaccination clinic would permit. Please note that, generally speaking, medical staff are pro-vaccination but are willing to engage in a healthy discussion concerning the risks and benefits related to vaccination for you and your family.

Annual vaccinations

Vaccination clinics for influenza, pneumonia,COVID-19, and other winter illness generally commence in April each year. Consultations during vaccination clinics are bulk billed and are restricted to the vaccination process – you are not able to request additional services at these clinics. The clinics generally run to time.

Further information about these vaccinations, along with clinic dates, generally becomes available in early March each year.

Covid Vaccinations

 COVID-19 vaccination using the Pfizer Comirnaty vaccine is available for patients aged five and over.    If you have not already had a COVID-19 vaccination you will need either one or two doses to be fully immunised.  Many people now only need one. Speak to your doctor to work out how many doses you need.

Regular boosters protect against waining immunity over time and are the best way to maintain protection against severe illness, hospitalisation, and death from COVID-19. The Pfizer vaccine is recommended for these boosters regardless of which vaccine you received for your first course.We are currently vaccinating using the JN.1 formulation. The most recent guidelines recommend boosters every twelve months for people aged 18-74 and every six months for those 75 and above. Certain patients with impaired immunity, and people between 65 and 74, are eligible for a dose every six months in certain situations. Vaccination is not currently recommended for children under five or for children under 18 without certain risk factors. Speak to our clinical team about your specific circumstances or check the government elegibility tool here.

The latest information about vaccination side effects can be found on the ATAGI website. 

COVID-19 vaccinations are bulk billed.  Please bring your Medicare card with you to your appointment.  If you have any concerns about COVID-19 vaccination please talk to your doctor prior to making an appointment for vaccination. 

Vaccination clinics are available most weeks, generally on a Thursday afternoon. Appointments for vaccination must be made by telephone, allowing us to check your eligibility before attending.  Call (03) 5477 6888.

Childhood vaccinations

Charlton Medical offers all routine childhood vaccinations as part of a normal consultation. There is no charge for most childhood vaccines however there will be a charge for the consultation. All vaccinations are notified to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) and should be available within a day of your consultation.

The AIR is a national register of vaccines given to all people in Australia and is administered by Services Australia. AIR also provides an immunisation history statement which can be used as proof of immunisation for childcare and school enrolments and assists parents in claiming the government Child Care Benefit and Maternity Immunisation Allowance. If any of your child’s immunisations are missing on the immunisation history statement, please speak to your doctor who will check that the immunisations have given and recorded correctly.

Information on how to obtain a copy of your child’s immunisation statement is available here.

Measles Mumps Rubella vaccinations

Some adults born after 1966 may have missed the Australian Measles Control Campaign conducted in the late 1990s and the Young Adults MMR program in early 2001 and are consequently not immune or are only partially immune to these illnesses.

A Victorian Government funded measles-containing vaccine program is available for adults born during or after 1966 and aged more than 20 who do not have evidence of two documented doses of the MMR vaccine. The vaccine is especially recommended for women planning pregnancy or who have recently delivered a child. Adults who are incompletely vaccinated require two vaccinations at least four weeks apart. Vaccines given as part of this program are free and consultations for vaccination during a scheduled vaccination clinic are bulk-billed.

Whooping cough vaccinations

Free vaccination for pertussis is available for all pregnant women from 20 weeks gestation during every pregnancy regardless of how long it is since your last pregnancy. Partners of pregnant women can also receive a vaccination in the third trimester provided they have not received a pertussis vaccination in the last ten years.

Grandparents are only eligible for free vaccine if they are the child’s primary caregiver or legal guardian, however, grandparents can obtain whooping cough with a private prescription. Please speak to reception about an appointment to obtain a script.

Q Fever vaccinations

Dr Webb is an accredited Q Fever vaccination provider. People whose work puts them in contact with high-risk animals or animal products have an increased risk of being infected with Q Fever and vaccination is recommended for livestock and dairy farmers, farm workers, shearers, stockyard and feedlot workers, and tradespeople entering workplaces where Q Fever may be present. Family members are also at increased risk.

People considering vaccination against Q Fever must be screened prior to vaccination. A skin test and blood test are undertaken at this appointment to identify people who have previously been infected with the Q Fever organism. Please telephone reception about appointments for Q Fever vaccination. These  vaccinations cannot be done during a routine vaccination clinic.

Japanese Encephalitis vaccinations

Japanese encephalitis vaccination is currently available for patients who live or work in local LGAs including Buloke, Loddon, Gannawarra, and Swan Hill  who spend four or more hours in outdoor activities that place them at risk of mosquito bites. Vaccination is also available to patients who work at or visit piggeries including transport workers and family members. Charlton Medical is currently running vaccination clinics for Japanese Encephalitis. Please register your interest with reception if you believe you qualify.  Further information is available here.

Travel vaccinations

Please make an appointment to discuss what vaccinations you may need for your travel well in advance of your departure date. Some illnesses need a course of vaccines which may take several weeks to complete.  You will need a private prescription for most travel vaccines.