The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) recommends an additional dose of COVID-19 vaccine for winter for selected population groups who are at greatest risk of severe illness from COVID-19 and who have received their primary vaccination and first booster dose.
These groups include:
- Adults aged 65 years and older
- Residents of aged care or disability care facilities
- People aged 16 years and older with severe immunocompromise (as defined in the 11 February 2022 ATAGI statement on the use of a 3rd primary dose of COVID-19 vaccine in individuals who are severely immunocompromised)
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 50 years and older
ATAGI has provided downloadable resources: a recommended doses and vaccine chart and a summary of recommendations for key population groups for an additional COVID-19 vaccine winter dose.
The rollout of the winter dose for the above groups will commence from Monday 4 April 2022. MBS payments for the winter dose will remain the same as for the administration of other booster doses.
Pfizer or Moderna are the preferred vaccines for this winter dose. AstraZeneca can be used when an mRNA vaccine is contraindicated or a patient declines vaccination with an mRNA vaccine. Novavax Nuvaxovid can be used as a booster if no other COVID-19 vaccine is considered suitable for that individual.