In 2024, students in Year 7 can receive vaccines to protect them against certain diseases. See information below on the specific vaccines and diseases they protect you against. 

Diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough (dTpa) vaccine (Adacel® or Boostrix®) 

1 vaccine given to Year 7 students as a booster dose.

When you’ve had the Adacel® or Boostrix® vaccine, you might:

  • have a sore, red or swollen arm where the injection (needle) was given
  • have a headache
  • have painful (sore) muscles and joints
  • get a temperature (fever)
  • feel nauseous (sick)
  • feel tired or generally unwell.

The HPV vaccine (Gardasil®9)

One vaccine given to Year 7 students through the School Immunisation Program.

This protects students from most types of HPV that cause infection.

The vaccine works best if students get it before they have contact with the HPV virus.

The vaccine can still protect students if they have in contact with the virus because it will fight other types of HPV germs.

When you’ve had the Gardasil®9 vaccine, you might:

  • have a sore, red or swollen arm where the injection (needle) was given
  • get a temperature
  • have a headache
  • feel nauseous (sick)
  • have painful (sore) muscles and joints
  • feel dizzy or tired.

About the diseases

Diphtheria is serious infection (very bad sickness) of the throat and nose. One in seven people with this sickness will die.

See You’ve Got What? for more information on diphtheria.

Diphtheria can cause

  • difficulty breathing (make it hard to breathe)
  • heart failure (give you a bad heart)
  • nerve paralysis (make your arms and leg weak)
  • death.

Tetanus is a serious, disease caused by a bacteria (germ) found in dirt, dust and animal poo. It can be passed on by getting the bacteria into a cut or sore.

You can’t catch it from someone else. Two in 100 people who get tetanus will die.

See You’ve Got What? for more information on tetanus.

Tetanus can cause

  • serious heart problems (give you a bad heart)
  • blood clots in the lungs
  • pneumonia (make your lungs sick)
  • death.

Whooping cough is a highly infectious respiratory infection (lung sickness) that you can get if someone who has the infection coughs or sneezes near you.

About 9 out of 10 people living with a person with whooping cough will catch it if they aren’t vaccinated or were vaccinated a long time ago.

See You’ve Got What? for more information on whooping cough.

Whooping cough can cause

  • rib fractures (broken ribs) from coughing
  • pneumonia (make your lungs sick)
  • brain damage from lack of oxygen
  • seizures.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a very common virus (type of germ) that can infect both females and males. It is passed on through sexual activity.

Most people don’t know they have the HPV virus (germ) in their body or if they have passed it to someone else.

Nine out of 10 people will catch the germ some time in their life if they have not been vaccinated.

See You’ve Got What? for more information on HPV.

HPV can cause

  • Cancers of the penis, anus, vulva, vagina, cervix, throat and mouth
  • Genital warts. This is a sexual infection (sickness) that creates bumps on the genital area.

Further information

For further information on the School Immunisation Program contact your GP or immunisation provider.