5th COVID-19 vaccine from February 2023.
A fifth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine will be available to Australian adults from 20 February 2023.
An additional COVID-19 booster dose is anticipated to address waning of protection against severe COVID-19 prior to winter.
This will provide an increase in protection against severe illness and protect the healthcare system during a time of high demand.
It is recommended to defer vaccination for 6 months following a confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, as this, together with prior vaccine doses received, will boost protection against COVID-19. ATAGI notes that testing rates have decreased and there are likely to have been many people with undetected SARS-CoV-2 infection within recent months.
There are no safety concerns for individuals receiving a COVID-19 vaccine who may have had undetected SARS-CoV-2 infection within the past 6 months.
The increase in protection against severe illness from COVID-19 following a booster dose is most beneficial for people at higher risk of severe illness, i.e., older adults and those with relevant medical risk factors.