Immunisation Weekly Update:

Welcome to our weekly Immunisation Update! In this week’s update, read about:

1. Transition of COVID-19 vaccines to the NIP
2. Hep B vaccine eligibility
3. No link between vaccines and autism
4. Expansion of the NIP Vaccinations in Pharmacy Program to include children under 5 years
5. National Vaccination Insights project
   

Transition of COVID-19 vaccines to the NIP

From 1 October 2026, COVID-19 vaccines will be provided via the NIP, replacing the National COVID-19 Vaccine Program (NCVP).

ATAGI has released a statement on the transition of COVID-19 Vaccines to the National Immunisation Program outlining key program changes.

Advice for providers regarding COVID-19 stock

• Remaining COVID-19 vaccine stock ordered via CVAS can continue to be used for eligible cohorts from 1 October 2026.
• COVID-19 vaccine stock ordered via CVAS does not need to be reported in the State Vaccine Centre portal as it is not NIP stock. 

Resources on COVID-19 vaccine NIP transition:

• For health professionals: ATAGI statement, provider update, program advice and information kit
• For consumers: consumer factsheet

Hep B vaccine eligibility

Providers are reminded that the Engerix-B (20 mcg) brand is only funded for people with HIV. Allother eligible people should receive the HB Vax II brand.

No link between vaccines and autism

A new review by the World Health Organization (WHO) looked at 15 years of research on vaccines and autism. It examined 36 scientific studies, including large studies involving more than one million children.

The review found no evidence that vaccines cause autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This includes commonly used vaccines such as the MMR vaccine (measles, mumps and rubella) and vaccines that contain thiomersal.

The findings are the same as earlier WHO reviews, which also found no link between vaccines and autism.

Expansion of the NIP Vaccinations in Pharmacy Program to include children under 5 years

From 1 January 2027, the National Immunisation Program Vaccinations in Pharmacy (NIPVIP) program will be expanded to include children under 5 years of age, in line with commitments outlined in the Australian Governments 2026-27 Budget.

The expansion will exclude children who require catch-up vaccinations and people with complex medical conditions.

The program change comes as childhood vaccination coverage in Australia has continued to decline since 2020. Recent data shows that coverage among fully vaccinated 12-month-old children has decreased by 4.3 percentage points since 2020, while coverage among 24-month-old children remains below 90%.

National Vaccination Insights project

The National Vaccination Insights project is a national research initiative led by NCIRS in collaboration with the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and the University of Sydney. The project aims to better understand the barriers and drivers influencing vaccination uptake across Australia and provide evidence to inform strategies that improve coverage in different population groups.

Key Findings

• The top three barriers to childhood vaccination in 2025 were negative beliefs about vaccine safety, beliefs vaccines did not protect others, and a lack of intention to vaccinate.
• Qualitative interviews found that parents were supportive of childhood vaccination, but practical barriers such as difficulty accessing appointments, out-of-pocket costs, and competing priorities, along with negative experiences with the health system, contributed to delayed or partial vaccination.
• Qualitative interviews with adults found that people wanted more opportunities to discuss influenza vaccination with healthcare professionals, access to timely and relevant influenza information, and convenient, affordable vaccination services.
  

To learn more about the project and key findings visit the National Vaccination Insights project.

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