Australia’s health department has updated its COVID-19 vaccine advice, recommending anyone aged 75 or over to get another jab if they haven’t had one in the last six months.
The new advice, which was made to the department by ATAGI and accepted by the government, also advises adults between 65 and 74 and any severely immunocompromised adult to consider receiving another dose.
“The latest advice from our vaccination experts is that, if you’re aged 75 or older and it’s been at least six months since your last COVID-19 vaccine dose, it’s time to top up your protections with an additional dose,” Health Minister Mark Butler said on Friday.
“And if you’re aged 65 to 74, or 18 to 64 and are severely immunocompromised, you should also consider the additional dose in consultations with your healthcare provider.
“For other people who were advised to get a 2023 booster but haven’t had one, it’s not too late to come forward and get one.
“It is really important people remember COVID-19 is still with us, so I encourage people to keep following the vaccination advice of the experts on the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation.”
The health department said the updated advice recognises that old age remains the greatest risk factor for COVID-19.
It added that most of the population is “currently well protected due to a combination of previous vaccinations and prior infection”.
The advice comes after all adults were encouraged in February to have an extra vaccine dose if six months had passed since their previous jab or infection.
The health department said anyone who hadn’t yet taken that advice was still encouraged to consider another vaccination.
