Who should get the COVID-19 vaccine

Who will get the COVID-19 vaccine?

The COVID-19 vaccine is being rolled out in phases across South Australia to ensure priority groups can access the vaccine.

The phases are as follows:

Phase 1a

• Frontline at-risk health care workers including staff in GP respiratory clinics and COVID-19 testing facilities, ICU and emergency department staff and clinical and ancillary support staff (staff includes employees, volunteers, students and contractors)
• Residential aged care and disability care staff
• Residential aged care and disability care residents
• Quarantine and airport workers

Phase 1b

• Adults over 70 years
• All other health care workers
• Begin to vaccinate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• Adults with an underlying medical condition, including those with a disability
• Critical and high risk workers including defence, police, fire, emergency services and meat processing

Phase 2a

• Adults over 50 years
• Continue vaccinating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• Other critical and high risk workers.

Phase 2b

• Balance of adult population
• Catch up any unvaccinated Australians from previous phases.

Phase 3

• Consideration of people under 16 years, based on further Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) approvals and the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) advice.

I work in a high risk area (priority 1a) but don’t want to get the vaccine, will this affect my job?

It’s important that people working in high risk areas are given access to the vaccine as early as possible, which is why you’ve been included in Phase 1a of the national roll out.

Your occupational risk of exposure to COVID-19 should be considered when discussing your role and responsibility with your employer. Individual employers may consider company policies regarding the COVID-19 vaccine that consider occupational health and safety risks.

The vaccine is not mandated by the Australian or State Governments.

Is the vaccine safe for older people?

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has concluded that there is no specific risk associated with the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in older people.

Data for the use in people over 85 years old is limited. The potential benefits of vaccination versus the potential risk in the frail elderly should be carefully assessed on a case by case basis.

Patients and/or their families, representatives and carers can talk to their GP or a health professional about the COVID-19 vaccines.

For the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, the TGA has concluded that there are no safety concerns for people over the age of 65 in the clinical studies, nor in the large numbers of elderly people who have been vaccinated to date in overseas rollouts.

The decision to use the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in a patient over the age of 65 should be decided on a case by case basis with consideration of age, co-morbidities and their environment, taking into account the benefits of vaccination and potential risks.

Can I get the COVID-19 vaccine if I am pregnant or breastfeeding?

Clinical trials for new medicines do not typically include pregnant or breastfeeding participants.

If you are planning a pregnancy, you can receive the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. You do not need to avoid becoming pregnant before or after vaccination. You are not required to have a pregnancy test before getting vaccinated.

If you are breastfeeding, you can receive the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at any time. You do not need to stop breastfeeding before or after vaccination.

We do not routinely recommend COVID-19 vaccine in pregnancy. You and your health professional can consider it if the potential benefits of vaccination outweigh any potential risks.

Each country hosting clinical trials for COVID-19 vaccine candidates has different guidance regarding use of COVID-19 vaccines in pregnancy based on the benefits, risks and uncertainties in the context of the prevailing pandemic situation.

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) will soon release advice about the use of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in women who are pregnant, trying to get pregnant and/or breastfeeding.

Can children get the vaccine?

Clinical trials for new medicines do not typically include children as participants. Further clinical trials for other COVID-19 vaccines will include children.

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) will continue to provide advice in relation to children.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) have currently approved the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for use in individuals aged 16 years and over, and the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine for use in individuals aged 18 years and over.

I am immunocompromised. Should I have the vaccine?

Immunocompromised people are being prioritised to receive a COVID-19 vaccine in Phase 1b of the roll out, as they are at increased risk of severe outcomes with COVID-19.

None of the COVID-19 vaccines that have been approved, or are currently being considered for approval, in Australia contain the live COVID-19 virus, which means they are safe for immunocompromised people.

Immunocompromised people should follow the advice from their doctor regarding the COVID-19 vaccine, including considering when to get the vaccine amongst any other treatments or medications.

Will other family members of immune-compromised children be included in a priority group?

In the first phase of the roll out, only those people who have been listed in the priority groups will receive the vaccine. The vaccine will be available to other people in later stages of the roll out.

I’ve already had COVID-19. Do I need to get vaccinated?

You should be vaccinated regardless of whether you already had COVID-19 infection, due to the severe health risks and as reinfection with COVID-19 is possible. Experts do not yet know how long someone is protected from getting sick again after recovering from COVID-19. The natural immunity developed by people who have had COVID-19 varies.

As long as you are feeling well, and no longer have confirmed infection it is recommended to still receive COVID-19 vaccines.

There is no known disadvantage to having the COVID-19 vaccine when previously exposed or infected with COVID-19.