Which COVID-19 vaccines are available in Australia?

The following COVID-19 vaccines are available in Australia:

• Pfizer’s Comirnaty, Comirnaty bivalent Original/Omicron BA.1 and Comirnaty Original/Omicron BA.4/5 vaccines
• Moderna’s Spikevax and Spikevax bivalent Original/Omicron BA.1 vaccines
• Novavax’s Nuvaxovid vaccine

AstraZeneca’s Vaxzevria vaccine is no longer available.

The single dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine — COVID-19 Vaccine Janssen — has been provisionally approved, but it isn’t available, in Australia.

Visit Australia’s Department of Health and Aged Care website for more information on COVID-19 vaccines, including who is eligible for each vaccine.

How do the different COVID-19 vaccines work?

Vaccines train your immune system to quickly recognise and get rid of the bacteria or viruses that can cause serious illnesses. There are several types of vaccines to protect us against COVID-19. They have been designed to generate an immune response to SARS-CoV-2 (the coronavirus that causes COVID-19).

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 someone who’s vaccinated becomes exposed to COVID-19 later on, the immune system will be able to launch a faster and better response to protect against the disease.

These vaccines do not contain the live or whole virus that causes COVID-19.

Messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines

The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are examples of an mRNA vaccine. This vaccine uses a genetic code, called messenger-RNA (mRNA), to trigger the production of the COVID-19-specific spike protein.

The mRNA from the vaccine enters the cytoplasm of the body’s cells. The cells use the instructions contained in the mRNA to make the spike protein. Immune cells can then recognise the spike protein as foreign and begin building an immune response against it.

Messenger-RNA can’t change or interact with a person’s DNA in any way.

Protein-based vaccines

The Novavax vaccine is an example of a protein-based vaccine. This uses a non-infectious component of COVID-19, usually the spike protein.

This protein is found on the surface of the virus and can be manufactured in a laboratory. When the vaccine enters the body, immune cells recognise the spike protein as foreign and begin building an immune response against it.

Vector vaccines

The AstraZeneca vaccine is an example of a viral vector vaccine. These types of vaccines use a harmless, weakened animal virus that contains the genetic code for a protein unique to COVID-19, usually the spike protein.

This weakened animal virus is known as a ‘viral vector’. Once the viral vector enters the body, immune cells then recognise the spike protein as foreign and begin building an immune response against it.

What are bivalent COVID-19 vaccines?

During the COVID-19 pandemic, new strains of the virus developed. Some new strains, such as the COVID-19 Omicron variant, spread quickly.

Bivalent COVID-19 vaccines target different strains of the COVID-19 virus at the same time. This offers broader protection against the different strains and variants of the COVID-19 virus that you can be exposed to in Australia.

The bivalent vaccines are now the most widely available COVID-19 booster vaccines in Australia. 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, visit these resources on Pfizer and Moderna.

How effective are COVID-19 vaccines?

COVID-19 vaccines are shown to be highly effective at preventing severe illness with COVID-19. For more information on COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness, visit the Department of Health Aged and Care’s website.

Can I choose which COVID-19 vaccine I get?

Australia offers several COVID-19 vaccines. However, not everyone is eligible for or recommended each vaccine, depending on their age or health. Further, not all participating vaccination clinics, GPs and pharmacists have all of the available vaccines to choose from.

It is recommended to have the same COVID-19 vaccine to complete your primary course, unless:

• you have a certain medical condition and need to take precautions
• the same vaccine brand is not available in Australia

A different brand can be used for the second primary dose in these cases.

More information on COVID-19 vaccine eligibility and recommendations is available on the Department of Health and Aged Care website.

What’s the difference between primary vaccine doses and booster vaccine doses?

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

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

How many primary COVID-19 vaccine doses do I need?

Most people need 2 first doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, although some people with weak immune systems, disability or complex or multiple health conditions may need 3 doses.

Who can get a COVID-19 vaccine booster dose?

All people aged 18 years and over can get a booster dose if it’s been 6 months or longer since their last COVID-19 booster dose or confirmed infection (whichever is most recent). This is particularly recommended for people at higher risk of severe illness, including:

• everyone 65 years and over
• everyone 18 years and over with medical comorbidities, disability or complex health needs.

Children and young people aged 5 to 17 years with health conditions that put them at risk of severe illness can also get a booster dose 6 months since their last dose or COVID-19 infection, based on an assessment with their immunisation provider.

Booster doses are not recommended for children and young people aged 17 years or younger who are not at risk of severe COVID-19.

Learn more about the Australian Government’s booster dose advice.