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Vaccination
Staying up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines, including booster doses, will protect you from severe illness due to COVID-19
On September 1 2023, ATAGI updated recommendations on the use of booster doses of COVID-19 vaccine. View the ATAGI statement here. View the ATAGI statement here.
Who can get vaccinated?
All people aged 5 years and over are recommended to be up to date with vaccinations against COVID-19.
Eligible children aged 6 months to under 5 years with medical conditions that increase the risk of severe COVID-19 can be vaccinated. This includes children with the following or similar conditions:
- Severe primary or secondary immunodeficiency, including those undergoing treatment for cancer, or on immunosuppressive treatments
- Bone marrow or stem cell transplant or chimeric antigen T-cell (CAR-T) therapy
- Complex congenital cardiac disease
- Structural airway anomalies or chronic lung disease
- Type 1 diabetes mellitus
- Chronic neurological or neuromuscular conditions
- A disability that requires frequent assistance with activities of daily living, such as severe cerebral palsy or Down Syndrome (Trisomy 21).
Why get vaccinated?
Getting vaccinated has many benefits, including:
- You are less likely to get sick and become very unwell or die from COVID-19
- To protect your family and the community, especially people who are at most risk from severe illness
- The virus will have a harder time spreading in the community.
Even if you have had COVID-19, you should still stay up to date with your vaccinations.
Talk to your doctor or call Healthdirect on 1800 022 222 if you have questions about the benefits of being vaccinated.
Booster vaccines
Why you should get a booster
Boosters are highly recommended to help keep up your immunity against COVID-19.
A booster dose will continue to protect you from severe illness from COVID-19.
The current advice from ATAGI on additional 2023 booster vaccines are below:
ATAGI recommends that all adults aged 75 years or older should receive an additional 2023 COVID-19 vaccine dose if 6 months have passed since their last dose.
ATAGI advises the following groups should consider an additional 2023 COVID-19 vaccine dose if 6 months have passed since their last dose, after discussion with their healthcare provider:
- All adults aged 65 to 74 years, and/or
- Adults aged 18 to 64 years with severe immunocompromise.
- Within the above groups, an additional 2023 COVID-19 vaccine is likely to be of most benefit for people who:
- Have no known history of COVID-19 infection (and therefore are unlikely to have protection from hybrid immunity),
- Have medical comorbidities that increase their risk of severe COVID-19, or disability with significant or complex health needs, or
- Reside in a residential aged care facility.
ATAGI continues to encourage all adults who were recommended to have a COVID-19 vaccine dose in February 2023, and who have not yet had one, to receive a vaccine dose as soon as possible.
For younger people or older adults without severe immunocompromise who have already had a dose in 2023, no further doses are currently recommended. Their risk of severe illness is low if they have already been vaccinated, and particularly if they have also had prior infection. Therefore a further 2023 dose will offer little additional benefit even if it has been more than 6 months since their last dose.
People with severe immunocompromise
For most people, a primary course is considered two doses. However, a third primary dose received as part of the primary course is recommended for some and is different from a booster dose.
For people who are severely immunocompromised, a third vaccination is recommended as part of their primary course to promote a good immune response.
The third dose should be given from two months after the second dose.
A booster dose can then be given six months after completing the primary course.
Vaccination after having COVID-19
The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) generally recommends waiting six months between testing positive for COVID-19 and getting the next scheduled dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
The next scheduled dose should be given as soon as possible after this period.
Waiting at least six months between infection and vaccination is likely to lead to a better immune response and result in longer protection from reinfection.
While there is minimal benefit in having a COVID-19 vaccine dose too soon after infection, ATAGI notes that current COVID-19 testing rates have dropped significantly, so from a practical perspective it is challenging to know if or when individuals last had an infection. Where previous infection details are unknown, it is appropriate to proceed with a first 2023 dose, or an additional dose for eligible people.
A person may be vaccinated earlier than the recommended 6-month interval where considered appropriate, such as before starting an immunosuppressant, before overseas travel or if someone cannot reschedule vaccination easily (such as in an outreach vaccination program).
About COVID-19 vaccines
Different COVID-19 vaccines are available for different age groups. Find out more about them on the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care website.
- Pfizer (Comirnaty) including Paediatric dose
- Moderna (Spikevax) and Moderna (Bivalent)
- Novavax (Nuvaxovid)
For the primary course, age-appropriate bivalent mRNA vaccines are preferred for the primary course over existing (ancestral) vaccines from the age of 12 years old. These include the Pfizer and Moderna bivalent vaccines. There is currently no bivalent vaccine available for children aged 6 months to 11 years, and existing original vaccines should continue to be used for this age group.
For boosters, age-appropriate bivalent mRNA booster vaccines are preferred over the original vaccines.
Where to get vaccinated
A number of general practices are offering the COVID-19 vaccine including for children aged 6 months to under 5 years of age.
Check the Australian Government vaccine clinic finder to find a vaccine provider near you.
Pharmacies
Selected pharmacies are delivering COVID-19 vaccines to individuals from 10 years of age.
Some pharmacies are also delivering COVID-19 vaccines to children from 5 years of age.
Use the Australian Government vaccine clinic finder to find a participating pharmacy in your area
For children 6 months to under 5 years
Some general practices and specialist clinics are offering the COVID-19 vaccine including for eligible children aged 6 months to under 5 years of age.
Find a vaccine clinic near you
The Specialist Paediatric Immunisation Service at the Royal Hobart Hospital is also offering vaccinations for eligible children aged 6 months to 5 years of age. Speak to your GP, Paediatrician or Specialist Nurse – they can arrange for you to be contacted by the team to book an appointment.
People with disability or special requirements
Read more information about COVID-19 vaccines for people with disability.
For information in Easy Read, please see Fact Sheets about COVID-19 vaccines in Easy Read format.
For more help or support:
- Call the Disability Gateway Helpline on 1800 643 787 for support with booking.
- The National Relay Service is available for people who have trouble hearing or speaking with people who use a phone.
- Call the National Coronavirus Helpline on 1800 020 080 and choose option ‘5’ for disability help. This service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- Text Hey EVA to 0481 611 382. Someone from the National Coronavirus Helpline will call you back and find you a COVID-19 vaccine appointment. EVA (Easy Vaccine Access) is available every day from 7am to 10pm (AEST) with free interpreting assistance.
Vaccines are safe and effective
COVID-19 vaccines used in Australia are safe and effective.
Some people who get the vaccine experience minor side effects like tiredness, pain where the needle went in, or headache. These go away within a couple of days.
Other very rare side effects have been reported for each vaccine.
Vaccines used in Australia must pass strict safety standards set by Australia's independent medicines regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). The TGA rigorously monitors the safety of these vaccines.
Learn more about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines.
Proof of vaccination
You can access a free vaccination record or a COVID-19 digital certificate online via myGov through your Medicare or My Health Record account.
For step-by-step help to get your vaccination record or COVID-19 digital certificate, visit the Services Australia website. If you need more help or can’t get online, ring the Australian Immunisation Register on 1800 653 809.
For more information about accessing your immunisation history, visit Services Australia.
Reporting symptoms following vaccination
Reporting your symptoms after a vaccination helps ensure COVID-19 vaccines are delivered as safely as possible in Tasmania.
You can report your symptoms following vaccination to the Department of Health, Tasmania by calling the Public Health Hotline on 1800 671 738 or emailing a completed adverse events following immunisation form (Word or PDF) to [email protected].
Contact your doctor or healthcare provider if you have severe symptoms, symptoms that are not going away after a few days, or you are otherwise concerned about side effects.
Information in your language
Information about COVID-19 vaccines has been translated into multiple languages. Find information in your language.
If you need to talk to someone or have questions about the COVID-19 vaccine, phone the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) on 131 450 and tell them your language. Tell the interpreter your name and that you’re calling the Tasmanian Department of Health 1800 671 738.
For more help or support:
- Call the National Coronavirus Helpline on 1800 020 080. This service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- Text Hey EVA to 0481 611 382. Someone from the National Coronavirus Helpline will call you back and find you a COVID-19 vaccine appointment. EVA (Easy Vaccine Access) is available every day from 7am to 10pm (AEST) with free interpreting assistance.
Where to find more information
- If you need help finding a vaccine clinic, visit the Australian Government’s vaccine clinic finder, call the Public Health Hotline on 1800 671 738 or call Healthdirect on 1800 022 222.
- The latest Australian Government information and advice on COVID-19 vaccines.
- COVID-19 vaccine questions and answers: COVID-19 vaccines – Is it true?
- Therapeutic Goods Administration’s vaccine approval process on the TGA website.
- Information and resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples on the Australian Government website.
- Easy read resources for people with disability about COVID-19 vaccines.
