Sign up for free immunisations at high school
10 February 2020
Parents of year 7 and 10 students are reminded to sign and return immunisation consent forms to ensure their children don’t miss out on important, free vaccinations.
The school-based vaccination program aims to protect teens against serious illnesses including whooping cough, invasive meningococcal disease, and cancer-causing human papillomavirus (HPV) infections.
Year 7 students will be offered the HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccine along with a booster dose of dTpa vaccine which protects against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis – or whooping cough. Last year, more than 28,000 year 7 students received these vaccinations at school.
Australia was the first country in the world to offer a school-based government-funded HPV vaccination program back in 2007 and has already resulted in a significant decline in rates of genital warts and pre-cancerous cervical lesions among young Australians.
Year 10 students will receive the meningococcal ACWY vaccine to combat an increase in this potentially deadly disease.
Last year, more than 25,000 Year 10 students received the vaccine through WA’s school-based program.
Students will receive consent forms and information packs early in term 1.
Parents must sign and return the consent forms in order for a child to receive the free vaccinations at school.
If you don’t see the information pack early in term 1, please get in touch with your school for a replacement.
If your child is absent from school on vaccination day, visit your GP or immunisation provider to make sure they are protected.
Find out more about the year 7 and year 10 school-based immunisation programs.