COVID-19 vaccination information

COVID-19 vaccination information

Updated 10/02/2023

Vaccination

COVID vaccines are free and available for children aged 6 months and older.

Vaccines help protect you and your child against serious illnesses.

2023 boosters

Consider getting a booster:

• Children aged 5 to 17 with significant health needs because of medical conditions or disability
• Adults 18+

Recommended to get a booster:

• Adults aged 18 to 64 with significant health needs because of medical conditions or disability
• Everyone aged 65+

You can get a booster if it has been six months since your last dose OR six months since you have had COVID.

You can get a booster with the flu vaccine.

Disability Liaison Officers

Disability Liaison Officers can help you with your child’s disability support needs to get vaccinated.

To contact a DLO:

• Email DLOcoordinator@dhhs.vic.gov.au
• Or complete the online request form
• Or call the Coronavirus Hotline on 1800 675 398

Who can get vaccinated

• Children aged 6 months to 5 years with disability or complex health issues can get vaccinated

Everyone aged 5 and over is recommended to get the vaccine.

Where your child can get vaccinated

There are a number of ways that children with disability can get vaccinated:

1. GP or pharmacy
2. At home. A Disability Liaison Officer can help with this.
3. Children who need sedation
   Sedation requires a referral from a GP or specialist from the Victorian Specialist Immunisation Service (VicSIS).
4. Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) patients
   Patients aged 6 months and over who have a chronic medical condition can be vaccinated at RCH. This is not available to the general public. Appointments are essential, no walk-ins. Book through the RCH Immunisation Hotline 1300 882 924.

Supporting your child to get vaccinated

These resources can help you support your child to get vaccinated:

• COVID vaccination social scripts – new social script for children available
• Visual schedules and information in Easy English 
• How to support a child with needle phobia
• Supporting young people with disability with decision-making when getting consent for a COVID vaccine

Translated resources

Go to our COVID-19 translated resources page for our translated fact sheet about getting a COVID vaccine for children with additional needs or disability. The fact sheet is available in Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, Vietnamese and English.

More Information

For more information about testing or what to do if you have COVID visit coronavirus.vic.gov.au or call 1800 675 398