COVID-19 'Winter Booster' update
Posted on 1st June, 2022
COVID-19 vaccine 'Winter booster' dose
Commencing April 1st, ATAGI recommended certain groups of the Australian population receive an additonal 'booster dose' (ie. 4th dose - or 5th, if you are severely immunocompromised and received 3 doses as your 'primary course') at least 4 months following your first booster dose. These population groups are considered to be at the greatest risk of severe illness, and include:
- 65 yrs +
- 16 yrs + & severely immunocompromised
- Aged care / disability care residents
- Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people
Updated advice from 25/05/2022
As of late May, ATAGI has now expanded the vaccine eligibility for the 'Winter booster' to include more Australians aged between 16 and 64 years old. People in the following groups are also likely to have an ongoing increased risk of severe COVID-19 infection, even after primary vaccination. Therefore, ATAGI is recommending these people get this dose as soon as possible (>4 months following your first ‘booster’):
Patients who have had cancer within the past 5 yrs
- THOSE ON CHEMOTHERAPY, RADIOTHERAPY, OR IMMUNOTHERAPY
- ANTI-CANCER THERAPY (active treatment or recently completed)
- ADVANCED DISEASE
- SURVIVORS OF CHILDHOOD CANCER
Patients with chronic inflammatory conditions
- LUPUS
- RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS
- CHROHN'S DISEASE
- ULCERATIVE COLITIS
Patients with chronic lung disease
- COPD
- CYSTIC FIBROSIS
- SEVERE ASTHMA
- CIRRHOSIS
- AUTO-IMMUNE HEPATITIS
- NON-ALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER DISEASE
- ALCOHOLIC LIVER DISEASE
Patients with severe chronic kidney disease
Patients with chronic neurological disease
- STROKE
- DEMENTIA
- MOTOR NEURON DISEASE
- PARKINSONS DISEASE
- MYASTHENIA GRAVIS
- MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS
- CEREBRAL PALSY
- EPILEPSY
Patients with Diabetes requiring medication
Patients with chronic cardiac disease
- ISCHAEMIC HEART DISEASE
- VALVULAR HEART DISEASE
- CONGESTIVE CARDIAC FAILUER
- CARDIOMYOPATHIES
- POORLY CONROLLED HYPERTENSION
- PULMONARY HYPERTENSION
Patients with severe obesity, BMI ≥ 40
Patients with severe underweight, BMI < 16.5
Patients with disability with significant or complex health needs
Remember, if you have had a confirmed positive COVID-19 infection, you need to wait at least 3 months before your next eligible dose.
If you are still unsure of your eligibility, please chat with our pharmacists today!BOOK NOW (16+ yrs)