The Immunisation Handbook 2017 (the Handbook) provides clinical guidelines for health professionals on the safest and most effective use of vaccines in their practice. These guidelines are based on the best scientific evidence available at the time of publication, from published and unpublished literature.
Read the handbook
To read the Immunisation Handbook you can:
- view the Immunisation Handbook online
- download a PDF of the Immunisation Handbook (PDF, 5.1 MB)
- download an ebook version of the Immunisation Handbook (epub, 1.8 MB)
- download individual chapters of the Immunisation Handbook below.
Refer to the Pharmaceutical Schedule (on the Pharmac website) for the number of funded doses, eligibility criteria and any subsequent changes to the funding decisions.
Immunisation Handbook 2017 (2nd edition) – March 2018
The electronic Handbook has been updated, and a new edition published: Immunisation Handbook 2017 (2nd edition).
Major changes, in chapter order, are:
- Chapter 4 Immunisation of Special Groups: updated to include the herpes zoster vaccine funding from 1 April 2018, and new information about immune checkpoint inhibitors
- Chapter 8 Hepatitis B – includes information about the temporary brand change of the single antigen hepatitis B vaccine (from HBvaxPRO to Engerix-B)
- Chapter 10 Influenza – includes the change from trivalent to quadrivalent influenza vaccine (Fluarix Tetra and Influvac Tetra) and new information about immune checkpoint inhibitors
- Chapter 13 Mumps – updated to align with the latest version of the ‘Mumps’ chapter of the Communicable Disease Control Manual 2012
- Chapter 14 Pertussis – updated to align with the latest version of the ‘Pertussis’ chapter of the Communicable Disease Control Manual 2012
- Chapter 22 Zoster – updated to reflect the herpes zoster vaccine funding from 1 April 2018.
Detailed changes are described in Changes to the Immunisation Handbook 2017 (2nd edition) (PDF, 459 KB).
Individual chapters
- Introduction (PDF, 418 KB)
- 1. General immunisation principles (PDF, 225 KB)
- 2. Processes for safe immunisation (PDF, 627 MB)
- 3. Vaccination questions and addressing concerns (PDF, 161 KB)
- 4. Immunisation of special groups (PDF, 445 MB)
- 5. Diphtheria (PDF, 234 KB)
- 6. Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) disease (PDF, 181 KB)
- 7. Hepatitis A (PDF, 174 KB)
- 8. Hepatitis B (PDF, 416 KB)
- 9. Human papillomavirus (HPV) (PDF, 303 KB)
- 10. Influenza (PDF, 373 KB)
- 11. Measles (PDF, 234 KB)
- 12. Meningococcal disease (PDF, 293 KB)
- 13. Mumps (PDF, 143 KB)
- 14. Pertussis (whooping cough) (PDF, 343 KB)
- 15. Pneumococcal disease (PDF, 403 KB)
- 16. Poliomyelitis (PDF, 123 KB)
- 17. Rotavirus (PDF, 217 KB)
- 18. Rubella (PDF, 167 KB)
- 19. Tetanus (PDF, 189 KB)
- 20. Tuberculosis (PDF, 209 KB)
- 21. Varicella (chickenpox) (PDF, 283 KB)
- 22. Zoster (herpes zoster/shingles) (PDF, 232 KB)
- Appendix 1: The history of immunisation in New Zealand (PDF, 236 KB)
- Appendix 2: Planning immunisation catch-ups (PDF, 153 KB)
- Appendix 3: Immunisation standards for vaccinators and guidelines for organisations offering immunisation services (PDF, 138 KB)
- Appendix 4: Authorisation of vaccinators and criteria for pharmacist vaccinators (PDF, 184 KB)
- Appendix 5: Immunisation certificate (PDF, 65 KB)
- Appendix 6: Passive immunisation (PDF, 153 KB)
- Appendix 7: Vaccine presentation, preparation, disposal, and needle-stick recommendations (PDF, 89 KB)
- Appendix 8: High-incidence TB countries (PDF, 120 KB)
- Appendix 9: Websites (PDF, 80 KB)
- Funded vaccines for special groups (PDF, 52 KB)
- Anaphylaxis (PDF, 52 KB)
- National Immunisation Schedule (PDF, 20 KB)