To get some family assistance payments, your child must meet immunisation requirements.
What counts as a medical exemption
The only reasons you might be able to get an immunisation medical exemption are if you:
- had anaphylaxis after a previous dose of a vaccine
- had anaphylaxis after a dose of any component of a vaccine
- are significantly immunocompromised - for live vaccines only
- have natural immunity - for hepatitis B, measles, mumps, rubella, varicella (chickenpox) and Q fever only.
Who can record an immunisation medical exemption
Only eligible health professionals can record immunisation medical exemptions on the AIR.
Health professionals who can record an exemption are:
- general practice registrars on an approved 3GA training placement
- paediatricians
- public health physicians
- infectious disease physicians
- clinical immunologists.
General practitioners (GP) who can record an exemption need to have one of the following credentials:
- vocationally registered
- fellows of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP)
- fellows of the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM).
Your GP will know if they can record an exemption.
An immunisation medical exemption can be recorded by either:
- updating the AIR using Health Professional Online Services (HPOS)
- completing the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) - immunisation medical exemption form.