COVID-19 vaccination

Who is eligible for COVID-19 vaccination?

You are eligible for COVID-19 vaccination if you are:

• aged 5 years or older; or
• aged 6 months to 4 years with severe immunocompromise, complex or multiple health conditions, or disability with complex or significant health needs, which increase the risk of severe COVID-19

If you are part of one of these groups, consult the criteria below to see if a COVID-19 vaccine dose is recommended for you at this time.

Which vaccine brands are available in Australia?

There are 3 vaccine brands that are approved and available for use in Australia:

• Pfizer
• Moderna
• Novavax

During the COVID-19 pandemic, variants of the main virus developed, such as Delta and Omicron. So, pharmaceutical companies altered their vaccines to target the different variants.

The following COVID-19 vaccines are currently available in Australia:

Pfizer

• Comirnaty bivalent Original/Omicron BA.1
• Comirnaty bivalent Original/Omicron BA.4/5
• Paediatric formulation: Comirnaty 6 months to 4 years (Pfizer maroon cap)
• Paediatric formulation: Comirnaty 5-11 years (Pfizer orange cap)

Moderna

• Spikevax bivalent Original/Omicron BA.4/5

Novavax

• Nuvaxovid

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine (COVID-19 Vaccine Janssen) has been provisionally approved in Australia but it isn’t available.

The Pfizer Original, Moderna Original and AstraZeneca Vaxzevria vaccines are no longer available in Australia.

However, a paediatric formula of the Pfizer vaccine is still available for children aged 6 months to 4 years with certain conditions that put them at risk of severe illness. A different paediatric formula of the Pfizer vaccine is also available for children aged 5 to 11 years.

Your immunisation provider can help guide you on which vaccine to have.

Visit Australia’s Department of Health and Aged Care website for more information on COVID-19 vaccines.

Primary doses

Primary doses of a vaccine are the first doses you need for protection against a disease.

Most people need 2 first doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. However, people who are at greater risk of severe illness from COVID-19, such as those with weak immune systems, complex or multiple health conditions or disability with complex or significant health needs, may need 3 doses.

The recommended interval between your first doses will depend on the vaccine brand and your age group.

The same vaccine brand is preferred for the 2 doses of the primary course. You can have an alternative vaccine brand for dose 2 if you shouldn’t have the same vaccine for medical reasons, or if the same vaccine brand is not available in Australia.

Your doctor or immunisation provider can advise you on which vaccine you need for your primary doses.

Primary course advice from ATAGI

Visit the Department of Health and Aged Care website for detailed information about primary course eligibility from Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI).

For more information, read the Australian Government’s Department of Health and Aged Care’s COVID-19 vaccine doses and administration advice.

Booster doses

A booster dose is an extra vaccine dose that is given after you complete a primary course to boost your protection against a disease.

Recommendations for a 2023 booster

Anyone aged 18 years or older can get a booster dose in 2023 if it has been 6 months or more since their last COVID-19 vaccination or infection (whichever is most recent).

A COVID-19 vaccine booster dose is particularly recommended for adults in the following groups:

• all adults aged 65 years and over
• adults aged 18 to 64 years who have medical conditions that increase their risk of severe COVID-19, or disability with complex health needs

You can consider getting a 2023 booster dose if you fall into either of the following groups:

• all adults aged 18-64 years without risk factors for severe COVID-19
• children and young people aged 5-17 years who have health conditions that increase their risk of severe COVID-19 — based on a risk assessment with their immunisation provider

Recommendations for an additional 2023 dose

The following people are recommended to get an additional 2023 COVID-19 vaccine dose if 6 months have passed since their last dose:

• all people aged 75 years and over

The following groups should consider getting an additional 2023 COVID-19 vaccine dose if 6 months have passed since their last dose and after discussion with their healthcare provider:

• all people aged 65 to 74 years
• people aged 18 to 64 years who have severe immunocompromise

Within the above groups, an additional 2023 COVID-19 vaccine dose is likely to be of most benefit for people who:

• have no known history of COVID-19 infection (these people are unlikely to have protection from hybrid immunity)
• have medical conditions that increase their risk of severe COVID-19
• have disability with significant or complex health needs
• live in a residential aged care facility

General recommendations

A booster dose is not recommended at this time for the following people:

• children and young people aged under the age of 18 who don’t have any risk factors for severe COVID-19
• children less than 5 years, whether they’re at greater risk of severe disease or not

Visit the Department of Health and Aged Care website for detailed information about booster dose eligibility from Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI).

For more information, read the Australia Government Department of Health and Aged Care’s recommendations on COVID-19 vaccine doses and administration.

What are bivalent COVID-19 vaccines?

During the COVID-19 pandemic, new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 developed. Some new variants, such as the Omicron variant, spread quickly.

Bivalent COVID-19 vaccines target different variants of this virus – the original (or ancestral) variant, and Omicron subvariants. This offers broader protection against the different variants of the virus that you may be exposed to in Australia.

The bivalent vaccines are now the most widely available COVID-19 booster vaccines in Australia. They are preferred over original (ancestral) vaccines for primary vaccination in people over 12 years of age.

Bivalent vaccines are also preferred as booster doses over other COVID-19 vaccines, regardless of which brand of vaccine you had for your primary vaccination course (first doses).

Both Pfizer and Moderna have produced bivalent COVID-19 vaccines that are currently endorsed and distributed by the Australian Government.

To learn more about the bivalent COVID-19 vaccines on offer, read this information on Pfizer and Moderna.

Why should I get vaccinated against COVID-19?

COVID-19 can cause serious, long-term health conditions, and sometimes death.

If you are not vaccinated, your risk of serious illness from COVID-19 increases.

When enough people in the community become immunised, it is more difficult for the virus to spread. This helps to protect people who are not eligible for vaccination.

Vaccination is also important for those who are at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 since it can help to prevent hospitalisation or death.

Factors that increase your risk of severe illness from COVID-19 include:

• certain treatments
• particular illnesses and conditions
• your age, especially if you are over 70 years old
• your environment
• smoking
• being pregnant
• being male

Vaccination is not mandatory for most Australians. But if you work in certain industries, you may need a vaccination to keep attending your workplace. Check with your employer to see if this applies to you.

For information about vaccine mandates and recommendations that may be relevant where you live, check in with the health department in your state or territory:

• Australian Capital Territory
• New South Wales
• Northern Territory
• Queensland
• South Australia
• Tasmania
• Victoria
• Western Australia

What are the vaccination recommendations for different groups of people?

Vaccine recommendations are different for different groups of people. These include:

• people who are immunocompromised
• people with disability or chronic health conditions
• children and adolescents
• females who are pregnant, breastfeeding or planning pregnancy
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

If you are in one of these groups, speak with your healthcare provider for advice on your situation.

The Australian Government’s Department of Health and Aged Care provides COVID-19 vaccination recommendations for different groups, including a COVID-19 vaccination decision guide for people with immunocompromise.

For information on COVID-19 vaccination recommendations for pregnancy and breastfeeding, visit Pregnancy, Birth and Baby.

How effective are COVID-19 vaccines?

COVID-19 vaccines are shown to be very good at preventing severe illness from COVID-19.

Vaccines train your immune system to quickly recognise and get rid of the bacteria or viruses that can cause serious illnesses.

There are different types of vaccines to protect us against COVID-19. They’re all designed to generate an immune response specific to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Most COVID-19 vaccines use the coronavirus ‘spike’ protein to cause this immune response. The immune system recognises this spike protein as ‘foreign’ and starts producing long-lasting immune cells and antibodies.

If a vaccinated person is exposed to COVID-19, the immune system can respond faster and more effectively to protect against the disease.

For more information on COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness, visit the Australian Department of Health and Aged Care’s website.

How much does COVID-19 vaccination cost?

COVID-19 vaccination is free for everyone living in Australia.

This includes:

• Australian citizens, permanent residents, temporary visa holders and those not eligible for Medicare
• refugees, asylum seekers, temporary protection visa holders and those on bridging visas
• people currently in detention facilities including those who have a cancelled visa

Healthcare providers will not charge you any consultation fees linked with getting the COVID-19 vaccine.

You can get a free COVID-19 vaccination even if you do not have Medicare. If you do not have a Medicare account and you are eligible for one, you can register for one at Services Australia.

If you are not eligible for Medicare, you should have your vaccination at a state- or territory-run vaccination clinic.

How do I make an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccination?

COVID-19 vaccines are being delivered through a combination of general practices, state-and territory-run vaccination clinics, pharmacies and Aboriginal Controlled Community Health Services.

The easiest way to make an appointment is by using the free online Service Finder tool. Select the COVID-19 vaccine clinic option and enter your postcode to find clinics near you.

If you have had a COVID-19 vaccine before, you do not have to return to the same clinic for your next dose. You can also get vaccinated interstate.

Can I get a COVID-19 vaccine and the flu shot on the same day?

You can have a COVID-19 vaccine and flu shot on the same day. You should get each vaccine in a separate arm, so if you do get a sore arm, you know which vaccine has caused that side effect.

Having 2 different vaccines on the same day can potentially increase your chances of having a mild to moderate reaction. If you’ve had a reaction after a previous COVID-19 vaccine or influenza vaccine, you may choose to space your vaccinations out this time.

Children aged 6 months to 4 years can have COVID-19 vaccines and other vaccines (including an influenza one) on the same day if having them on different days is not practical. However, it is preferable to space COVID-19 vaccination out from another vaccination by 7 to 14 days.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more advice on when to schedule your vaccinations.

Do COVID-19 vaccines have side effects?

You may have minor side effects following vaccination against COVID-19.

The most frequently reported side effects include:

• injection-site reactions, such as a sore arm

Other reported general side effects include:

• headache
• muscle pain
• fever and chills

Most side effects last no more than a couple of days and you’ll recover without any problems.

Some people will have more significant flu-like symptoms that include:

• fever and chills
• muscle pain
• fatigue from the immune response the vaccine generates

Some people may need time away from their normal activities. If you have any concerns, ask your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

You should seek medical attention after vaccination if:

• you think you are having an allergic reaction
• you’re worried about a potential side effect or have new or unexpected symptoms
• you have an expected side effect of the vaccine that hasn’t gone away after a few days

If you are concerned, the best person to speak with is your doctor.

How do I get my vaccination certificate and how do I prove my vaccination?

There are 3 free ways to prove you have been vaccinated against COVID-19:

• a COVID-19 digital certificate
• your immunisation history statement (IHS)
• an International COVID-19 Vaccination Certificate for overseas travel

The COVID-19 Digital Certificate or IHS can be viewed or printed through:

• Medicare Online via MyGov
• Express Plus Medicare mobile app
• My Health Record

If you can’t use online channels, your vaccination provider can print your immunisation history statement for you.

You can also call the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) and ask to be sent your immunisation history statement.

If you have a current Australian passport, or a foreign passport with an Australian visa, you can get an international vaccination certificate using either your Medicare online account through myGov or the Express Plus Medicare mobile app.