Hepatitis B Hepatitis B can be transmitted during birth, sex and through blood-to-blood contact. Public Health Services has developed a Tasmanian Government funded community-focused hepatitis B vaccination program. This time-limited initiative provides free vaccine for population groups most at risk of acute hepatitis B infection. Who can receive the newly funded hepatitis B vaccine? In Tasmania funded hepatitis B vaccine is now available for people at increased risk of acquiring hepatitis B virus (HBV): household contacts of people with HBV sexual contacts of people with HBV migrants and refugees from high endemic HBV regions (see below) men who have sex with men sex workers people who have HIV infection people who have hepatitis C infection people who inject drugs. Which hepatitis B vaccination schedule should be used? All funded increased risk groups should receive vaccination with the standard three-dose schedule described in The Australian Immunisation Handbook. Which countries have high endemic HBV? Tasmanians from the following regions with higher than average endemic HBV are eligible for free vaccination: Sub-Saharan Africa Pacific Islands , East and South East Asia (excluding Japan). These regions were chosen to reflect a combination of movement patterns to Tasmania and the World Health Organization classification of high endemic HBV. People from high endemic HBV regions should undergo serological testing for carriage and prior infection/immunity before vaccination.