From 1 October 2026, COVID-19 vaccination in Australia is no longer run as its own program. It now sits alongside the other routine vaccines on the National Immunisation Program, and that changes who pays.
What has changed
Since the pandemic began, COVID-19 vaccines have been delivered through a dedicated national program. That program has now wound up, and the vaccines have moved onto the National Immunisation Program (NIP), the same system used for other nationally funded vaccines.
The practical result is that free doses are now aimed at the people most likely to become seriously unwell. Everyone else can still be vaccinated, but will need to pay for the vaccine themselves.
Who can get a free dose
The COVID-19 vaccine is free under the NIP for:
- All adults aged 75 and over: two free doses a year, given around six months apart.
- Adults aged 65 to 74: one free dose a year.
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 50 to 74: one free dose a year.
- Adults aged 18 to 64 with severe immunocompromise: one free dose a year. The Department of Health lists the specified medical risk conditions that count.
You also need a Medicare card, or be eligible for one.
If you are not eligible for a free dose
Talk to your health professional about whether vaccination is recommended for you. Most vaccines can be bought privately with a prescription.
If you are not in one of these groups, you can still choose to be vaccinated. It is a conversation to have with your pharmacist or doctor, based on your own health and circumstances.
Why it still matters
COVID-19 has not gone away. It continues to cause serious illness and hospital stays, particularly in older adults and in people with other health conditions, and it was one of the leading causes of death from respiratory infection in Australia last year.
Protection from vaccination and from past infection can fade over time. Australian research looking at older adults found that people whose last dose was more than 12 months ago were almost twice as likely to die from COVID-19 as those vaccinated in the previous three months. That is a big part of why the program sets regular gaps between doses for older people.
What if you have a lung condition?
Conditions such as COPD, severe asthma, bronchiectasis and cystic fibrosis can make a respiratory infection harder to cope with. A lung condition on its own does not qualify you for a free COVID-19 dose, but it is a good reason to talk with your doctor or pharmacist about whether a dose makes sense for you. COVID-19 vaccination can be one part of a broader plan that also looks at influenza, RSV, pneumococcal and whooping cough vaccines.
Keeping track of your doses
For people aged 65 and over, and First Nations people aged 50 and over, your next-due and overdue vaccines appear on your Immunisation History Statement alongside your other routine vaccines. You can check it through your myGov account linked to Medicare.
There is one gap. The Australian Immunisation Register cannot tell who is severely immunocompromised, so people aged 18 and over in that group will not be prompted in the same way. If that is you, it is worth keeping track of your own timing and asking your doctor when you are next due.
One visit, more than one vaccine
If you are already due for another vaccine, such as the flu shot, you may not need a separate appointment. COVID-19 vaccines can generally be given at the same visit as other vaccines when it is appropriate. Your pharmacist can check what you are due for and what suits you.
How your pharmacist can help
Our pharmacists can talk through whether you are eligible for a free dose and how COVID-19 vaccination fits with your other vaccines. We currently offer COVID-19 vaccines under the NIP only, and private vaccines are not available yet. You can also read more on our COVID-19 vaccination page.
Sources: HealthEd, Lung Foundation Australia; Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care; RACGP newsGP.
