What’s new
- From 1 October 2026, COVID-19 vaccines will be funded through the National Immunisation Program (NIP). This replaces the separate National COVID-19 Vaccine Program (NCVP) established during the COVID-19 pandemic response.
Key messages
- COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for people at the highest risk of severe disease.
- Special risk groups are eligible to receive free COVID-19 vaccines under the National Immunisation Program (NIP).
- COVID-19 vaccines can now be ordered through your Onelink account.
- Report all COVID-19 cold chain breaches to the Victorian Department of Health.
- COVID-19 vaccines can be co-administered (given on the same day) with other vaccines.
- Report all COVID-19 vaccinations to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR).
National Immunisation Program
Free COVID-19 vaccines are available under the NIP for the following groups at higher risk of complications from COVID-19:
- all adults aged 75 years and over (one dose every 6 months)
- all adults aged 65–74 years (one dose every 12 months)
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 50–74 years (one dose every 12 months)
- all adults aged 18 years and over with severe immunocompromise (one dose every 12 months).
Other ATAGI recommendations
Additional groups may be recommended to receive or consider receiving COVID-19 vaccines. These doses are not funded under the NIP. Refer to the Australian Immunisation Handbook for further details.
Timing of COVID-19 vaccination
- Adults aged 75 years and over are recommended to receive a COVID-19 vaccine every 6 months.
- For all other eligible groups, a COVID-19 vaccine is recommended every 12 months.
- Eligible people can receive a further dose from 6 months after their previous COVID-19 vaccine dose.
Contraindications and precautions
Refer to the Australian Immunisation Handbook for contraindications and precautions relating to COVID-19 vaccines.
Vaccine safety
Refer to Adverse events following immunisation (AEFI) reporting for information on reporting AEFI and vaccine administration errors.
Ordering vaccines
Registered immunisation providers in Victoria can order government-funded COVID-19 vaccines for administration to eligible cohorts. Refer to ordering vaccines for details on how to order vaccines through Onelink Online.
Storage of COVID-19 vaccines
Immunisation providers must store and handle all vaccines according to the National Vaccine Storage Guidelines ‘Strive for 5’.
Cold Chain Breach Management
All cold chain breaches involving COVID-19 vaccines must be reported via Cold chain breach reporting, in the same way as breaches involving other NIP vaccines.
In the event of a CCB, isolate the vaccines in the vaccine refrigerator and mark them 'do not use/do not discard' until you receive advice.
Reporting to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR)
It is mandatory to record all COVID-19 vaccinations given on the AIR. Ensure you use the correct brand name, dose number and batch number. Refer to AIR vaccine code formats.
Further information can be found in Using the Australian Immunisation Register
Resources for immunisation providers
On the Australian Government COVID-19 vaccine moving to the NIP webpage:
- COVID-19 vaccines – Update for immunisation providers
- COVID-19 vaccine – Information kit for health professionals
- COVID-19 - consumer fact sheet
- Australian Immunisation Handbook - COVID-19 - guidance on administration, rare side effects, contraindications and precautions.
- SKAI resources - to support your conversations with adult patients who have questions and concerns about vaccinations, including COVID-19 vaccination.
Resources for immunisation providers
Updated