As Moderna's new booster Spikevax goes into use for people aged 18 years and over, more than 14.2 million Australians over the age of 16 have now received three or more doses.
With children aged five-years and older joining the rollout in January, just over 94 per cent of Australia's population are eligible for vaccination against COVID-19.
So which are the best vaccines for each age group?
Here's the latest on what the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) says.
Which vaccines are available for different age groups?
Children aged 6 months to five years:
Moderna COVID-19 paediatric formulation
This Moderna vaccine is a new formulation (blue cap vial) consisting of a new concentration of 100 µg/mL.
It is the only vaccine available for use in this age group.
However, ATAGI does not currently recommend COVID-19 vaccination for children in this age group who are not in the listed high-risk categories for severe COVID-19.
Vaccination is recommended for children 6 months to under 5 years with severe immunocompromise, complex or multiple health conditions, such as:
- 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 with significant or complex health needs, such as severe cerebral palsy or Down syndrome
Children and adolescents
Pfizer: for children aged 5 to 11
Moderna: for children aged 6 to 11
Booster doses unavailable to anyone aged under 12 years
Pfizer's paediatric vaccine and Moderna's paediatric vaccine for children are both given as two doses, eight weeks apart.
ATAGI says the dose and concentration vary between the different age-specific COVID-19 vaccine formulations.
Teens under 18 years
No brand preference for people under 18 years of age
Children aged 12-17 can receive either the Pfizer, Moderna or Novavax COVID-19 jab.
What about a booster shot?
A single COVID-19 vaccine booster dose is the recommendation for people aged 16 years and older who completed their primary course three or more months ago.
ATAGI advises adolescents aged 12 to 15 years in the following groups who completed their primary course three or more months ago can receive a single COVID-19 vaccine booster, as:
- Those who are severely immunocompromised
- Have a disability with significant or complex health needs, or
- Have complex and/or multiple health conditions
Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is the only vaccine registered for use as a booster for people aged 12 to 17 years.
Adults aged up to 60 years
Pfizer, Moderna, or Novavax
Pfizer, Moderna, or Novavax vaccines are preferred over AstraZeneca for adults up to 60 years of age, according to ATAGI.
It notes that data is more limited for Novavax than for mRNA vaccines.
"There is a higher risk and observed severity of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) after receiving AstraZeneca vaccine in people aged under 60 years compared with people aged 60 years or older," it states.
What about a booster dose in this age range?
Pfizer, Moderna original or Moderna bivalent COVID-19 vaccines are the preferred vaccines for a booster dose for people aged 18 years and older, regardless of which vaccine was used for the primary course.
Adults aged 60 years and over
No brand preference
ATAGI advises there is no brand preference for people aged 60 years and older.
What about COVID-19 vaccines for pregnant women?
Pfizer, Moderna or Novavax
Pfizer or Moderna are the recommended vaccines in pregnancy.
The Novavax COVID-19 vaccine can also be used in pregnancy. ATAGI advises there are no immunogenicity or safety data for this vaccine in pregnancy but states there are no theoretical safety concerns.
What's the new COVID booster and who can access it?
Moderna's new booster Spikevax has been approved for use in people aged 18 years and over.
It's not yet been approved for under-18s, nor is it to be used as a "primary dose" vaccine.
It targets the original 2020 COVID-19 variant as well as Omicron variant BA.1.
ATAGI recommends it be administered at least three months after your most recent COVID‑19 vaccine dose or COVID infection — but you don't need to get it if you're already up-to-date with your boosters.
ATAGI's recommended number of vaccine doses — four for most people, five if you're immunocompromised — hasn't changed.
Am I due for my second booster?
That depends.
A second booster dose, that is a fourth dose, is recommended for people in the following groups:
- People 50 years or older
- Residents aged 16 years and older of an aged care or disability care facility
- People aged 16 years and older who have complex, chronic, or severe medical conditions that increase their risk of severe illness from COVID-19
- People aged 16 years and older with disability with significant or complex health needs
ATAGI notes if you're aged 30 to 49 years you can receive a second booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, but the benefit for people in this age group is "less certain".
More than 4.9 million (4,900,399) Australians have had their fourth booster shot as of October 5 data.
