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COVID-19 vaccination

16-minute read

Key facts

  • If you are aged 5 years or older, you can book a COVID-19 vaccination.
  • COVID-19 vaccination is also recommended for children aged 6 months to 4 years who are at risk of severe illness from COVID-19.
  • COVID-19 vaccination is free for everyone living in Australia.
  • COVID-19 vaccines are shown to be highly effective at preventing severe illness from COVID-19.

Who is eligible for COVID-19 vaccination?

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

If you are in one of these groups, check the guidelines below to see if you should get vaccinated against COVID-19 at this time.

Illustration of a person receiving a vaccination
Illustration of a person receiving a vaccination

Booking your vaccination

Use the Service Finder to book your COVID vaccination or booster.

Need help finding a service?

Use our guided search to find a COVID-19 vaccine clinic.

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 may need 3 doses if they are at greater risk of getting very sick from COVID-19, such as those with weak immune systems, complex or multiple health conditions, or disability with complex or significant health needs.

Your doctor, pharmacist or vaccine provider will tell you how many doses you need, and how long you should wait between doses.

Infographic displaying COVID-19 primary vaccine course recommendations from ATAGI.
You can download this infographic in PDF format, or go here for a text version.

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

Primary course advice

Visit the Australian Department of Health and Aged Care website for detailed information about primary course eligibility.

Further vaccine recommendations

Vaccination after you complete your primary (first) course helps to maintain protection against COVID-19.

The following are the recommendations for COVID-19 vaccination after completing the primary course:

  • If you are aged 75 years or over, you are recommended COVID-19 vaccination every 6 months.
  • If you are aged 65 to 74 years, you are recommended COVID-19 vaccination every 12 months. However, you may consider COVID-19 vaccination every 6 months.
  • If you are aged 18 to 64 years with severe immunocompromise, you are recommended COVID-19 vaccination every 12 months. However, you may consider COVID-19 vaccination every 6 months.
  • If you are aged 18 to 64 years without severe immunocompromise, you may consider COVID-19 vaccination every 12 months.
  • COVID-19 vaccination every 12 months may be considered for people aged 5 to 17 years with severe immunocompromise.
  • COVID-19 vaccination is not recommended for people aged 5 to 17 years without severe immunocompromise.
  • COVID-19 vaccination is not recommended for anyone aged under 5 years.
PDF format

Your doctor or immunisation provider can advise you on which vaccine you need.

Read more information on getting vaccinated from the Department of Health and Aged Care.

Dose intervals

The recommended time between each dose of your primary course of COVID-19 vaccine is 8 weeks.

The recommended time between each booster dose that you are eligible for is 6 months.

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 with the health department of your state or territory:

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 a doctor or other healthcare provider for advice.

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.

Do I need the vaccine if I'm recovering from or have had COVID-19?

If you have had COVID-19 and are eligible for vaccination, you should get vaccinated, though you should wait for 6 months after getting better.

Waiting a while between getting sick and getting the vaccine is likely to make your body’s defence system work better and protect you for longer. People who have already had COVID-19 should get all doses recommended to them.

You may be vaccinated earlier than 6 months if you:

  • are significantly immunocompromised and may be at greater risk of getting COVID-19 again
  • are starting an immunosuppressant medicine
  • have a job that requires you to be vaccinated
  • have a job that puts you at greater risk of being exposed to COVID-19
  • are about to travel overseas
  • cannot reschedule vaccination easily

There are no safety concerns with having a COVID-19 vaccine dose within 6 months of having an undetected COVID-19 infection. Serological or other testing to find current or previous infection with COVID-19 before vaccination is not needed nor recommended before vaccination.

If you have symptoms for more than 3 months, you should speak with a doctor or other healthcare professional to decide whether to get vaccinated.

A healthcare professional can speak with a specialist immunisation service for additional advice if needed.

BOOK YOUR VACCINATION — Use the Service Finder to book a COVID-19 vaccination.

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 Immunisation Handbook.

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.

For more information, read 'How will I get my COVID-19 vaccine?' on the Department of Health and Aged Care's website.

Illustration of a person receiving a vaccination
Illustration of a person receiving a vaccination

Booking your vaccination

Use the Service Finder to book your COVID vaccination or booster.

Need help finding a service?

Use our guided search to find a COVID-19 vaccine clinic.

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.

Call 000 if you experience severe symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, wheezing, a fast heartbeat or collapse.

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.

The Australian Government's Department of Health and Aged Care has more information on COVID-19 vaccine safety and side effects.

CHECK YOUR SYMPTOMS — Use the Symptom Checker and find out if you need to seek medical help.

You can report suspected side effects to your vaccination provider or other healthcare professional. You can also report side effects yourself with the Therapeutic Goods and Administration.

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.

Your vaccination provider needs to report your COVID-19 vaccinations to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) before you can get your international certificate.

If you're not eligible for Medicare, you can get your international certificate by calling the AIR on 1800 653 809 or visiting a Services Australia service centre. To find a service centre, go to findus.servicesaustralia.gov.au.

For more information, read the information on COVID-19 digital certificates on the Australian Department of Health and Aged Care website.

Which vaccine types and vaccine brands are available in Australia?

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

  • Pfizer
  • Moderna

During the COVID-19 pandemic, variants of the main virus developed, such as Delta, Omicron and the XBB variant. Pharmaceutical companies have since altered their vaccines to target the different variants.

XBB-variant vaccines

The new COVID-19 vaccines for the XBB variant are now the preferred COVID-19 vaccines over other available vaccine types. However, if you have already had your recommended 2023 dose or doses of COVID-19 vaccine, it is not recommended to have further doses or re-vaccination with this vaccine.

If you are unsure about your eligibility for XBB-variant vaccines, speak to your healthcare professional.

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

Paediatric (children) vaccines:

  • Comirnaty Omicron XBB.1.5 (Pfizer) 5-11 years
  • Comirnaty Original (Pfizer) 5-11 years
  • Comirnaty Original (Pfizer) 6 months to 4 years

An XBB vaccine is not currently available for children aged 6 months to under 5 years. However, it’s expected it will become available in 2024.

Adolescent and adult vaccines:

  • Comirnaty Omicron XBB.1.5 (Pfizer) 12 years and older
  • Comirnaty bivalent Original/Omicron BA.1 (Pfizer) 18 years and older
  • Comirnaty bivalent Original/Omicron BA.4/5 (Pfizer) 12 years and older
  • Spikevax Omicron XBB.1.5 (Moderna) 12 years and older

Visit the Australian Immunisation Handbook for further COVID-19 vaccine information.

Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.

Last reviewed: March 2024


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