All adults can get a booster if it’s been 6 months or longer since their last COVID-19 booster or confirmed infection (whichever is most recent). Boosters give extra protection against severe illness from COVID.

This particularly includes people at higher risk of severe illness, like:

• adults aged 65 years and over
• everyone 18 years and over with medical comorbidities, disability or complex health needs.

Children and young people aged 5 to 17 years can consider getting a booster dose if:

• they have a health condition that put them at risk of severe illness, and
• if it’s been 6 months since their last dose or COVID-19 infection.

Your doctor can help you decide if your child should receive a booster.

Booster doses are not recommended at this time for children and adolescents under 18 years of age who do not have any risk factors for severe COVID-19.

A primary course of COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for everyone over 5. Vaccination is also recommended for children aged 6 months to under 5 years who are severely immunocompromised, or have disability, as well as those who have complex and/or multiple health conditions that increase their risk of severe COVID-19.

The Pfizer paediatric vaccine can be co-administered with other vaccines. Please see above for booster recommendations.

Yes. The Royal Australian College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (RANZCOG) have released a joint statement with ATAGI recommending that all pregnant women should consider Pfizer Comirnaty or Moderna SpikeVax vaccine at any stage in the pregnancy. “This is because the risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19 is significantly higher for pregnant women and their unborn baby”.

Please read the statement and call us if you would like the vaccine.

Pregnant women and breast feeding women are both eligible for the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.

As outlined in this statement, vaccination of breast feeding women is safe.

Side effects are common, but are generally mild, and usually last 24-48 hours. For further information about each vaccine, refer to the following pages:

• Cominarty (Pfizer)

• Cominarty (Pfizer) – paediatric formulation

• Vaxzevria (Astra Zeneca)

• Spikevax (Moderna)

A rare side effect of mRNA vaccination (Pfizer Comirnaty or Moderna Spikevax) is myocarditis (67 cases per million doses).  This is most common in men under 30 within the first 2 weeks of vaccination, and can cause chest pain, palpitations, shortness of breath and fainting.  If you are concerned you have developed this condition, please consult your doctor or attend the emergency department.   Most cases recover well with supportive therapy only.

In order to assist us in monitoring side effects, you will receive a text and questionnaire from SMARTVAX. Please respond to this so that you can tell us if you have any side effects like a sore arm, headache, fever, fatigue, headache, chills, muscle pains, joint pain, or something else. You may use paracetamol for symptom relief.

There are a number of things that you can do to prepare whilst waiting for the vaccination process to begin. These things will help us register your vaccination in the Australian Immunisation Register as well as enabling you to access a record of your vaccination. Start preparing by:

• making sure your Medicare number is valid and not expired

• making sure your details are up to date with Medicare

• set up a MyGov or Medicare online account

More information can be found HERE and HERE.

If you are not covered by Medicare and do not have a Medicare number, you are unable to receive the vaccine at our practice. You will need to contact the NSW Health vaccine centres for more information.

We may also ask you to complete an online form or questionnaire and consent form before you come. Please check this page for details later.

Please call the practice and book for the vaccine of your choice. If you are attending the practice for any other reason, please ask your doctor for a booster.