From the Guidelines
The Australian guidelines for COVID-19 vaccination recommend different approaches by age group, with the most recent guidance from 2024-2025 suggesting that persons aged ≥5 years without moderate to severe immunocompromise need 1 dose of 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine to be up to date 1.
Key Recommendations by Age Group:
- For adults aged 18 and over, the primary course consists of two doses of an approved vaccine (Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, or Novavax), with additional booster doses recommended every 6 months for those aged 65+ or with risk factors.
- Children aged 5-17 are recommended to receive two doses of Pfizer or Moderna, with the dosage adjusted for younger children (5-11).
- For infants and children under 5, vaccination is only recommended for those with severe immunocompromise or complex medical conditions.
- Pregnant women are strongly encouraged to get vaccinated at any stage of pregnancy.
Timing Between Doses:
- The timing between doses varies by vaccine type and age group, typically 3-8 weeks for primary doses.
Updates and Considerations:
- The guidelines are regularly updated as new evidence emerges about vaccine effectiveness, safety, and the evolving nature of COVID-19 variants.
- The most recent guidance from 2024-2025 provides recommendations for the use of COVID-19 vaccines for persons aged ≥6 months, including those with moderate to severe immunocompromise 1. Some key points to consider when interpreting these guidelines include:
- The importance of staying up to date with the latest recommendations, as they are subject to change based on new evidence.
- The need to consider individual risk factors and medical conditions when determining the best vaccination strategy.
- The role of vaccination in preventing severe COVID-19 disease and reducing the risk of transmission.
From the Research
Australian Guidelines for COVID-19 Vaccination by Age Group
The Australian guidelines for COVID-19 vaccination by age group are as follows:
- Children aged ≥ 5 years are recommended to receive either of the two mRNA COVID-19 vaccines: Comirnaty (Pfizer) or Spikevax (Moderna) 2
- There is no specific information available on the guidelines for other age groups, such as adults or older adults, in the provided studies
- However, it is mentioned that older age remains the most important risk factor for severe COVID-19, including in the current Omicron variant era 3
- The Australian National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce is developing living, evidence-based, national guidelines for treatment of people with COVID-19, which are updated each week 4
Vaccination Recommendations for Specific Age Groups
- Children and adolescents undergoing treatment for cancer and immunosuppressive therapy for non-malignant haematological conditions are particularly vulnerable and are recommended to receive COVID-19 vaccination 2
- Immunocompromised persons aged ≥ 12 years are recommended to complete a 3-dose primary mRNA COVID-19 vaccination series followed by a first booster dose ≥ 3 months after dose 3 and a second booster dose ≥ 4 months after dose 4 5
- Adults aged ≥ 18 years are recommended to receive the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, with an 8-week interval between doses considered optimal for some adolescents and adults 6