It is easy to think of vaccines as something mostly linked to childhood, or perhaps the flu shot that comes around each year. In reality, immunisation remains relevant throughout adult life, and what is recommended can change over time.
Keeping track of your immunisation status is not always straightforward. You may have had vaccines at school, at work, during pregnancy care, at a pharmacy, through a previous GP, or from another health provider. After a while, it can be hard to know exactly what you have had and whether your record is complete.
At High Street Medical Clinic, we encourage patients to think about immunisation as part of preventive health care. It is not just about a single vaccine. It is about understanding whether your overall protection is up to date for your circumstances now.
One way to think about that is through your HALO: Health, Age, Lifestyle and Occupation. Vaccine advice is not based on age alone. Your health, daily life, work, family situation, and other risk factors can all affect what may be worth reviewing.
That might include an ongoing medical condition, pregnancy or planning pregnancy, reduced immunity, smoking, close contact with a newborn baby, or work in a higher-risk setting such as healthcare, childcare, emergency services, or residential care. Seasonal factors can also be part of the picture, including flu vaccination, but the broader goal is to check whether your overall immunisation status still matches your needs.
Vaccines help protect against illnesses that can cause serious disease and, in some cases, long-term health problems or death. They also help reduce the spread of disease in the community, including to people who may not be able to receive certain vaccines themselves.
Depending on your health, age, lifestyle, occupation, and vaccine history, that may include protection against illnesses such as influenza, whooping cough, shingles, pneumococcal disease, hepatitis, tetanus, HPV, RSV, Q fever, and others. Not every vaccine will be relevant for every person. What matters is making sure the protection that is relevant to you is part of the discussion.
The Australian Immunisation Register, or AIR, can help by showing vaccines recorded in Australia, including those given through the National Immunisation Program, at school, or privately, such as flu and travel vaccines. Even so, it may not answer every question straight away, especially if something was given years ago or in another setting.
If you are unsure about your immunisation status, that alone is a good reason to have it reviewed. You might ask your GP whether your record appears up to date, whether anything needs a closer look, or whether your health, age, lifestyle, or work affects what is recommended. It is also helpful to mention anything relevant, such as a recent change in health, pregnancy or planning pregnancy, work in a higher-risk setting, or close contact with someone who may be more vulnerable to illness.
A review may confirm that nothing further is needed right now, or it may lead to a vaccine, a booster, or a follow-up discussion. Either way, it can give you a clearer picture of where you stand.
If it has been a while since you last thought about your immunisations, a simple next step is to ask for your immunisation status to be reviewed, either by booking an appointment with High Street Medical Clinic or by raising it at your next visit.
