COVID-19 is a respiratory illness caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. It spreads from person to person through:
- Direct contact, such as sharing saliva
- Air when people breathe, talk, cough or sneeze
- Contaminated surfaces which people touch and then touch their mouth, nose or eyes.
Most people who catch COVID-19 get mild common cold-like symptoms like a sore throat, cough, runny nose and headache. However, it can still lead to severe disease, hospitalisation and serious complications for some people.
Vaccination is a safe and effective way to help protect yourself from serious disease caused by COVID-19.
Most people can receive one COVID-19 vaccine dose per year. However, some people are recommended to receive a dose every 6 months. Your pharmacist will review your circumstance and vaccination history and provide a recommendation for you.
From October 1, 2026, the eligibility for who can receive a free COVID-19 vaccination is changing. For more information, please see here.
Who is recommended to receive COVID-19 vaccination?
- All people aged 18 years and older
- People aged 6 months – 17 years with medical conditions or severe immunocompromise that may increase their risk of severe disease from COVID-19
Who is eligible for a free COVID-19 vaccination?
On October 1, 2026, the eligibility for a free COVID-19 vaccine changed. The Australian Government’s National Immunisation Program now provides free COVID-19 vaccines to the following eligible Medicare card holders:
- People aged 75 years and older (one dose every 6 months)
- People aged 65-74 years (one dose per year)
- Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people aged 50-74 years (one dose per year)
- Adults aged 18-64 years with severe immunocompromise (one dose per year)
For more information on COVID-19 please click here.
Please note, NIP vaccines can be limited, and not all pharmacies or pharmacist immunisers will have access to these free vaccines at the time of your appointment.
If you believe you may be eligible for a free vaccine, it is recommended that you speak with your pharmacist prior to making your appointment to confirm availability of the free vaccine.
If you do not meet the NIP eligibility, or the pharmacy does not have the free vaccines available at the pharmacy, they will discuss your options with you.