Which vaccines can you get based on your age? These are the recommended COVID-19 vaccines for each age group.

More than 14.2 million Australians aged 16 and over received 3 or more doses of Moderna’s new booster, Spikevax, when it became available to people aged 18 and over.

With children aged 5 and over joining the rollout in January, just over 94% of the Australian population is eligible to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

So which vaccine is best for each age group?

Here is an update from the Australian Technical Advisory Group (ATAGI) on Immunization:

Which vaccines are available for different age groups?

Children from 6 months to 5 years:

Moderna COVID-19 pediatric formulation

This Moderna vaccine is a new formulation (blue cap vial) with a new concentration of 100 μg/mL.

that is Only vaccine available for this age group.

However, Atagi does not currently recommend vaccination against COVID-19 for children in this age group. We have listed the high-risk categories for severe COVID-19.

vaccination is Recommended for children from 6 months to under 5 years old Severe immunodeficiency, with complex or multiple health conditions such as:

• Severe primary or secondary immunodeficiency, including those being treated for cancer or taking immunosuppressive therapy
• Bone marrow or stem cell transplant, or chimeric antigen T-cell (CAR-T) therapy
• complex congenital heart disease
• Structural airway abnormalities or chronic lung disease
• type 1 diabetes
• chronic neurological or neuromuscular conditions
• Disabilities with significant or complex health needs, such as severe cerebral palsy or Down syndrome

children and adolescents

Pfizer: For children ages 5-11

modern: For children ages 6 to 11

Booster dose not available Under 12 years old

Both Pfizer Pediatric Vaccines and Moderna Pediatric Vaccines 2 doses 8 weeks apart.

Dosages and concentrations vary among age-specific COVID-19 vaccine formulations, Atagi said.

teen under 18

No brand commitment Under 18 years old

children aged 12-17 can receive Pfizer, Moderna or Novavax COVID19 outbreak.

What about booster shots?

a 1 booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine Recommended for elderly people 16+ Those who have completed the primary course Over 3 months ago.

Atagi recommends that adolescents aged 12 to 15 in the following groups who have completed their primary course at least 3 months in advance receive one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine booster.

• Those with severely weakened immune system
• have a disability with significant or complex health needs, or
• have complex and/or multiple health conditions

Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine is the only vaccine registered for use as a booster for people aged 12 to 17.

Adults up to 60 years old

Pfizer, Moderna, Novavax

Pfizer, Moderna, or Novavax vaccines Preferred over AstraZeneca for adults up to age 60 Age depends on Atagi.

Note that data for Novavax are more limited than for mRNA vaccines.

“After AstraZeneca vaccination, people under 60 years of age had a higher risk of thrombosis with thrombocytopenic syndrome (TTS) compared to people over 60 years of age, and the observed severity was higher,” it said. I’m here.

What about booster doses for this age group?

Pfizer, Moderna Original, or Moderna’s bivalent COVID-19 vaccines are the recommended booster vaccines for people 18 years of age and older, regardless of which vaccine was used in the primary course.

Adults over 60

No brand commitment

Atagi advises people over 60 to have no brand preference.

What about the COVID-19 vaccine for pregnant women?

Pfizer, Moderna, Novavax

Pfizer or Moderna are the recommended vaccines during pregnancy.

Novavax COVID-19 vaccine can also be used during pregnancy. Atagi advises that there are no data on the immunogenicity or safety of this vaccine during pregnancy, but said there are no theoretical safety concerns.

What is the new COVID Booster and who can access it?

Moderna’s New Booster Spike Bucks Approved for use in the elderly 18+.

It is not yet approved for people under the age of 18, nor can it be used as a “primary” vaccine.

this Targets the original 2020 COVID-19 variant and the Omicron variant BA.1.

ATAGI recommends that you have the latest COVID‑19 vaccine or at least 3 months after your COVID infection, but if you are already up to date on your booster, you do not need to get one.

Atagi recommended number of vaccinations — 4 for most people5 for immunodeficiency — unchanged.

Is there a deadline for the second booster?

it depends.

A second booster or fourth dose is recommended for the following groups of people:

• Over 50 years old
• Residents of aged care facilities or facilities for the disabled over the age of 16
• Anyone aged 16 or over with a complex, chronic or serious medical condition that increases the risk of serious illness from COVID-19
• Persons with disabilities aged 16 and over with significant or complex health needs

Atagi said people aged 30 to 49 can get a second booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, but benefits for people in this age group are “not very certain.”

As of 5 October data, more than 4.9 million (4,900,399) Australians have received their fourth booster injection.