Figure 12 is a line graph showing the percentage of children who received their first dose of DTP/Hexa vaccine at age 6 - < 8 weeks, by State or territory and month of receipt (January 2009 – December 2011)
It was recommended in March 2009 that immunisation providers give the first dose of DTPa vaccine at 6 weeks of age instead of 8 weeks of age. For New South Wales and Tasmania the percentage giving the dose at less than 8 weeks rose over the first 2 years with more than 60% of children receiving the dose prior to 8 weeks of age in December 2010. By late 2011, this percentage was greater than 50% in the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria, and Queensland and at 70% for New South Wales and Tasmania.