Hepatitis A & B Vaccine in Point Cook
Hepatitis A and hepatitis B are both liver infections, but they reach people in very different ways, which is why a hepatitis A and B vaccine plan depends on who you are and where you are going. Our GPs in Point Cook can check your records, explain which vaccine fits, and give the doses at the clinic.
Two viruses, two routes of infection
Hepatitis A passes from person to person through traces of faeces, for example on unwashed hands, in contaminated food or water, or through sexual contact. It does not become a long-term infection, but adults can feel unwell for weeks with tiredness, nausea and yellowing of the skin or eyes.
Hepatitis B lives in blood and body fluids. Healthdirect lists sexual contact, shared needles, and shared razors or toothbrushes among the ways it spreads, and notes that you cannot catch it from a cough or sneeze. Unlike hepatitis A, it can become a chronic infection.
Who is advised to have each vaccine
The Australian Immunisation Handbook recommends hepatitis A vaccine for people aged 1 year and older travelling to places where it is moderately or highly common, along with some occupational and medical risk groups.
For hepatitis B, travellers to regions where it is common are advised to be vaccinated if they:
- will be away for a long time
- make short, frequent trips to those regions
- are likely to do things that raise the chance of contact with blood or body fluids, such as getting a tattoo or having sex with new partners
Dose schedules for the hepatitis A and B vaccine
Hepatitis A vaccine on its own is given as 2 doses, with the second at least 6 months after the first. Nearly everyone has protective antibodies 4 weeks after vaccination, which is why an early start helps. Hepatitis B vaccine for adults is usually a 3-dose course at 0, 1 and 6 months.
If you need protection against both, a combined hepatitis A and hepatitis B vaccine means fewer injections. For people 16 and over it is a 3-dose course, and an accelerated schedule exists for travellers who are short on time before departure.
Funding through the National Immunisation Program
Hepatitis B vaccine is part of the routine childhood schedule: a dose within 7 days of birth, then doses at 2, 4 and 6 months. Healthdirect states it is also free for people under 20 and for refugees and other humanitarian entrants of any age.
Hepatitis A vaccine is funded for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children living in Queensland, the Northern Territory, Western Australia or South Australia. Vaccines given purely for travel are generally bought privately, so there is usually a cost for the vaccine itself.
What to expect after the injection
The most common reaction to either vaccine is a sore, red or swollen arm for a day or two. Headache, mild fever or tiredness can happen but are less common. Severe allergic reactions are rare; if you have trouble breathing or swelling of the face or throat after leaving, call 000.
Fees and booking your hepatitis vaccine
Hepatitis B is funded on the childhood schedule, while travel doses are usually bought privately, so the vaccine itself can carry a cost; see the fees page or ask reception. You can book online or phone, and mention the vaccine when you book. A typhoid vaccine can often be planned in the same visit, and the travel immunisation page covers the wider pre-trip check.
Common questions
I had hepatitis B vaccine as a baby. Do I need it again before travelling?
Usually not, if the full infant course was recorded. Bring any records you have and the doctor will check.
Will one dose of hepatitis A vaccine protect me on a trip next month?
A single dose gives good protection for most healthy adults within about a month. The second dose, 6 months or more later, is what gives long-lasting protection, so keep a note to come back.
Can children have the combined vaccine?
Yes, a 2-dose children’s schedule of the combined vaccine exists for ages 1 to under 16. The doctor will check the child’s childhood immunisation history first.