Request a BCG vaccination

Important information to read before booking a BCG vaccination appointment

In NSW, BCG vaccine is recommended for:

children younger than 5 years of age who are travelling for 4 weeks or more to a country or countries where TB is common
children younger than 5 years of age considered by TB services to be at ongoing risk of TB exposure in Australia
children younger then 5 years of age who live with someone with Hansen’s disease (leprosy)
healthcare workers travelling overseas to work in a country where BCG vaccination is required or strongly recommended.

BCG is a live vaccine. People who need more than one live vaccine injection should either:

have all their vaccine injected on the same day, or
allow at least 4 weeks between the BCG and other live injected vaccines.

Other live infected vaccines include measles, mumps, rubella, varicella, zoster and yellow fever vaccines.

The vaccine can take 3 months to provide protection against TB. The BCG vaccine should ideally be given 3 months before travel to a country where TB is common.

A tuberculin skin test (Mantoux test or TST) is needed prior to BCG vaccination if the person to be vaccinated:

was born in a country where TB is common
has lived or travelled to a country or region where TB is common
has been in close contact with a person with lung TB.

This requires 2 visits to the vaccination clinic 48-72 hours apart.

Read the guidance for parents and carers: travelling overseas with children and the risk of tuberculosis.