Vaccination

Staying up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines, including booster doses, will protect you from severe illness due to COVID-19

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.

Vaccination after having COVID-19

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) 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.

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 with COVID-19.

The current advice from ATAGI on 2023 booster vaccines are below:

ATAGI recommends a 2023 COVID-19 booster dose for adults in the following groups, if their last COVID-19 vaccine dose or confirmed infection (whichever is the most recent) was 6 months ago or longer, and regardless of the number of previous doses:

1. All adults aged 65 years and older
2. Adults aged 18 to 64 years who have medical conditions that increase their risk of severe COVID-19, or are living with disability with significant or complex health needs.

The following groups should consider a 2023 booster dose if their last COVID-19 vaccine dose or confirmed infection (whichever is the most recent) was 6 months ago or longer, and regardless of the number of previous doses, based on an individual risk benefit assessment with their immunisation provider.

1. All Adults aged 18 to 64 years without risk factors for severe COVID-19
2. Children and adolescents aged 5 to 17 years who have medical comorbidities that increase their risk of severe COVID-19, or are living with disability with significant or complex health needs.

ATAGI advises that a booster dose is not currently recommended for children and adolescents aged under less than 18 years who do not have any risk factors for severe COVID-19.

Regarding vaccine choice, all currently available COVID-19 vaccines will provide benefit as a booster dose, however age-appropriate bivalent mRNA booster vaccines are preferred over other vaccines. These include the Pfizer and Moderna bivalent vaccines.

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.

About COVID-19 vaccines

The below COVID-19 vaccines are available in Tasmania. 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 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.