STI vaccination

STI vaccination

Did you know there are vaccines to help prevent some STIs?

Some are part of Australia’s routine immunisation schedule, while others are recommended based on your age, health or lifestyle.

Many sexual health clinics provide free vaccines such as HPV or hepatitis A/B — sometimes even if you don’t have Medicare — and you can also get vaccinated through your GP or other immunisation services under government programs.

Read on to find out which vaccinations may be right for you.

Hepatitis A vaccine

This vaccine prevents hepatitis A (hep A).

Read more on our hep A page.

Who is the hep A vaccine for?

The hep A vaccine is recommended for:

• anyone who has anal sex
• anyone who injects drugs
• people who are incarcerated
• people in higher risk jobs (such as plumbers and early childcare workers)
• people travelling to countries where hep A is common
• people with certain medical risk factors
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in the NT, QLD, SA and WA.

How is the hep A vaccine given? 

The hep A vaccine involves:

• two injections, given at least six months apart.

Hepatitis B vaccine

This vaccine prevents hepatitis B (hep B).

Read more on our hep B page.

Who is the hep B vaccine for? 

The hep B vaccine is one of the routine childhood vaccines in Australia. It is also recommended for most adults who have not received this vaccine and who may be at risk. This includes:

• men who have sex with men
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• people who are immunocompromised
• people who have medical risk factors for hep B
• people whose job increases the chance of getting hep B
• people who travel to or come from countries where there is a lot of hep B
• people who inject drugs
• people staying in correctional facilities
• people in the sex work industry
• household or close contacts of someone with hep B
• sexual contacts of someone with hep B.

The hep B vaccine is part of the routine immunisation schedule for Australian children, and is also recommended for most adults who were not previously vaccinated.

HPV vaccine – Gardasil 9®

This vaccine prevents nine types of human papillomavirus (HPV).

Read more on our HPV page.

Who is the HPV vaccine for? 

The HPV vaccine is recommended for:

• all adolescents and young people (aged up to 25 years)
• some people over 25 years of age.

The HPV vaccine is part of the routine immunisation schedule for all people aged 9 to 25 years old.

If you’re over 25 and missed out on HPV vaccination as a young person, it may still be worth getting vaccinated. Talk to your doctor about whether it’s right for you.

How is the HPV vaccine given? 

The HPV vaccine involves:

• one injection for adolescents and young people up to 25 years old
• three injections for people 26 and older, completed over six months (the second and third occurring at 1 month and 6 months after the first).

Mpox vaccine – JYNNEOS®

This vaccine prevents mpox.

Read more on our mpox page.

Who is the mpox vaccine for?

The mpox vaccine is recommended for:

• all sexually active queer men (trans and cis), and their sexual partners
• anyone doing sex work.

How is the mpox vaccine given? 

The mpox vaccine involves:

• two injections, given at least 28 days apart.

To find out where to get an mpox vaccination near you, visit Australian Centre for Disease Control (ACDC), or see the Australian Government’s immunisation contacts to find the relevant contact.