Booster recommendations from ATAGI are dependent on age and medical history as below:

• All adults aged over 65 are recommended to have an early 2023 booster
• 18-64 year olds
  • ATAGI recommends a booster dose in early 2023 for adults aged 18 to 64 years who have medical comorbidities that increase their risk of severe COVID-19, or disability with significant or complex health needs
  • Other adults aged 18 to 64 may consider a booster dose in early 2023, based on an individual risk–benefit assessment with your doctor
• 5-17 year olds
  • A booster dose may be considered for children and adolescents aged 5 to 17 years who have medical comorbidities that increase their risk of severe COVID-19, or disability with significant or complex health needs. This should be based on an individual risk–benefit assessment with their doctor
  • A booster vaccination is not recommended for other children and adolescents in this age group who do not have any risk factors for severe COVID-19
• children under 5
  • Booster vaccination is not recommended

You can have the 2023 booster vaccination if your last COVID-19 vaccine dose or confirmed infection (whichever is the most recent) was 6 months ago or longer, regardless of the number of prior doses received.

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.

At HFGP, the Pfizer paediatric Comirnaty vaccination is eligible for children aged 5-11 years old. If your child is aged 11 years and has the paediatric formulation for their first dose, and then turns 12 years of age before their second dose, they should have the adult Pfizer formulation as their second dose. More detailed information about the vaccine can be found in the ATAGI recommendation, and the Covid childhood vaccine government consent form.

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.

It is important that you understand the risk and benefits and side effects of any medical treatment or vaccine. We would like you to provide that consent to us by signing a specific information form.

This consent can be found and accessed:

• on your mobile device if you book online; or

• For 12 year old and over, by downloading it HERE saving and emailing it to us or bringing it to your appointment; or

• For childhood vaccine 5-11 years of age, by downloading it HERE and emailing it to us or bringing it to your appointment; or

• by completing it at the practice when you arrive

Information about when you should not have the vaccine is contained HERE.