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Animal and veterinary science vaccinations
If you’re enrolling in a course in Animal or Veterinary Science, you will come into contact with animals during your program. To ensure your safety, your tetanus vaccination needs to be current and you may need to undergo screening for Q fever and if required be vaccinated.
If you are enrolled in one of the below courses, it is a requirement of your course that you are immunised against Q Fever and tetanus.
- Bachelor of Veterinary Biology/Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
- Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
- Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Advanced Studies (Animal and Veterinary Bioscience)
For the following courses, vaccination requirements are determined by your unit of study selections. You will require Q fever immunisation if you are enrolled in one of the units listed in the table below.
- Bachelor of Science
- Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Advanced Studies
- Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Advanced Studies (Agriculture)
| Level | Units of study |
|---|---|
| 1000 level | AVBS1002 |
| 2000 level | AVBS2001, AVBS2007, BIOL2032 |
| 3000 level | ANSC3102, ANSC3106, AVBS3000, AVBS3001, AVBS3002, AVBS3003, AVBS3011 |
| 4000 level | AGRO4005, AGRO4006, AVBS4001, AVBS4002, AVBS4004, AVBS4008, AVBS4012 |
| 6000 level | VETS6101, VETS6102, VETS6103, VETS6104, VETS6105, VETS6106, VETS6107, VETS6108, VETS6201, VETS6202, VETS6203, VETS6204, VETS6205, VETS6206, VETS6207, VETS6208, VETS6301, VETS6302, VETS6303, VETS6304, VETS6313, VETS6401, VETS6402, VETS6403, VETS6404, VETS6405, VETS6406, VETS6407, VETS6408, VETS6409, VETS6410, VETS6411, VETS6412 |
Q Fever
Q fever is a bacterial infection that can cause a severe flu-like illness. The bacteria are spread from animals, mainly cattle, sheep and goats. Even people who do not come into contact with animals may be infected. A safe and effective vaccine is available to protect people who are at risk. Screening is required to identify who can be vaccinated. More information is available in the NSW Health Q fever fact sheet.
You need to follow these steps to meet your Q fever immunity requirements:
- organise your Q fever screening and vaccination
- register your immunity status with the Australian Q Fever register
It is your responsibility to ensure you are immunised against Q Fever. You will need to provide evidence when requested, so make sure you keep a copy of your screening and immunisation certificate. If you are unable to provide evidence of your Q Fever immunisation status you may not be able to progress and complete all the compulsory requirements of your course.
Q fever screening and vaccination
It is your responsibility to arrange and pay for your Q Fever screening and vaccination, and this should be done as soon as possible after enrolling in your course. Immunity granted from vaccination does not take hold immediately, it may take up to three to four weeks from the time of injection for your immunity to come into effect.
The screening and vaccination process involves two visits to a doctor, with the visits needing to be exactly seven days apart. The cost is approximately $150, however this will vary depending on the provider you use.
We recommend you arrange an appointment with a health care provider who has experience with Q fever screening and vaccination. The University Health Service at the Camperdown Campus offers this service, or you can find other providers close to the Camperdown campus listed below.
Business |
Address |
Phone number |
|---|---|---|
University Health Service |
Wentworth Building (G01), |
+61 2 9351 3484 |
International Travel Vaccination Centre |
37 Bligh Street, |
1300 557 070 |
Hyde Park Medical Centre |
175 Liverpool Street, |
+61 2 9283 1234 |
Sonic Health Plus |
Level 32, |
+61 2 9321 9100 |
Namoi Medical Services |
Level 4 159 Maitland Street Narrabri |
+61 2 6792 4333 |
Australian Q Fever Register
You need to register your Q fever immunity status with the Australian Q Fever Register.
The Australian Q Fever Register keeps a secure online record of your immunity status for life. If you need to provide evidence of immunity to Q Fever in future (for example as a workplace health and safety requirement), you can refer your employer or doctor to the register to confirm your immunity status. This prevents unnecessary testing and vaccination.
How to register
Complete the Personal Details and Consent Form and register, uploading this form, on the Q Fever website.
If you have previous immunity, you should still complete the Personal Details and Consent Form and register on the Q Fever website.
Once your details are entered into the Register, you will be emailed a Q Fever Register eStatement (which replaces the previous Q Fever Card). Your eStatement includes your registration number and can be downloaded and saved on a mobile device. You can find about more about the eStatement on the Australian Q Fever register website.
Registered employers and doctors can look up your record using your Q Fever registration number, first name, surname and date of birth.
Tetanus
If you are enrolled in one of the courses that requires contact with animals, you need to be currently immunised against tetanus.
You are responsible for ensuring that your tetanus immunisation is valid and up-to-date. You will need to provide evidence when requested.
Further information
If you have any questions, contact your Education Support Team:
- Veterinary Science Education Support at vetsci.education@sydney.edu.au
- SOLES Education at soles.education@sydney.edu.au
Last updated: 22 August 2023
