Eligibility criteria applies to free funded Meningococcal B (Bexsero) vaccine. If you are not eligible for free Meningococcal B vaccine, Council offers this vaccine at a cost. Payment can only be made online when booking or by EFTPOS at the immunisation session. See fees and charges
For more information regarding Meningococcal B vaccination and eligibility for funded vaccine visit the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing and Better Health Channel.
Bexsero vaccination advice
Bexsero can be safely given with other routine vaccines, including live vaccines.
Alternatively, children can receive Bexsero separately from other routine infant vaccines, with a minimum interval of 3 days from non-live vaccines, to minimise the risk of fever. In this case, we give routinely recommended vaccines first. If administering Bexsero separately from the 12 and 18 month vaccines, an interval of 2 weeks is recommended, as some of these vaccines are live and may cause a delayed fever 7-10 days post vaccination.
Children under 2 years of age are highly recommended to receive paracetamol with every dose of Bexsero, both before and after administration. Melbourne Vaccine Education Centre recommends children under 4 years of age receive paracetamol before and after every dose of Bexsero.
The 1st dose of paracetamol (15 mg/kg/dose) is recommended within 30 minutes before, or as soon as practicable after receiving the vaccine. This should be followed by 2 more doses of paracetamol given 4-6 hours apart, regardless of whether the child has a fever.