COVID-19 immunisation

Funded cohorts

The following individuals at highest risk of severe disease from COVID-19 are eligible for a free COVID-19 vaccine (Comirnaty) through the National Immunisation Program (NIP):

• all adults 75 years and older - 1 dose every 6 months
• all adults aged 65–74 years - 1 dose every 12 months
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults aged 50-74 years - 1 dose every 12 months
• all adults aged 18 years or over with severe immunocompromise – 1 dose every 12 months.

Please see the WA Immunisation Schedule and for detailed advice of vaccine recommendations and contraindications. 

Cohorts who can consider vaccination

People who are not eligible for the free government-funded COVID-19vaccine can purchase a COVID-19vaccine privately but may need a prescription. As outlined in the Australian Immunisation Handbook (external site) the following cohorts can consider an annual COVID-19 vaccine:

• children aged 6 months to less than 18 years with medical risk conditions (including severe immunocompromise)
• all other adults aged 18-64 without severe immunocompromise.

Pregnant women who have not had the COVID-19 vaccine previously can consider a dose from 20 weeks gestation in each pregnancy upon discussion with their medical practitioner. A vaccine dose administered during pregnancy may reduce the risk of severe COVID-19 and related complications in pregnant women. Maternal vaccination may also protect against COVID-19 hospitalisation in young infants.

Infants, children and adolescents aged 6 months to less than 18 years without medical risk conditions are not routinely recommended to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. However, an annual dose of COVID-19 vaccine can be considered when there is a strong preference for vaccination and following an individual risk-benefit assessment.

Refer to the Australian Immunisation Handbook (external site) for clinical guidance such as vaccine recommendations, dosing, coadministration and contraindications.

Providers are recommended to review the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) statement Transition of COVID-19 Vaccines to the National Immunisation Program (external site).

It is mandatory for all immunisation providers to report all National Immunisation Program (NIP) (external site) vaccines administered. 

Immunisation providers who order and administer government-funded or private vaccines are required to report vaccines administered to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR). This helps to ensure individuals have a complete vaccination history, and their health can be managed effectively.  

To hold a Onelink vaccine ordering account, it is a requirement to report all government- funded vaccines administered to the AIR.  

Immunisation providers can find more information on Immunisation provider information and resources. 

Vaccine ordering

Registered providers who offer immunisation services for eligible cohorts can order government-funded vaccines via Onelink (external site).  

Visit vaccine ordering for related information.  

Cold chain management

Immunisation providers are responsible for ensuring vaccines received and stored at their premises are managed by staff who are trained in cold chain management. Staff must follow the National vaccine storage guidelines: Strive for 5 (external site) and the Guidelines for the Management of Cold Chain for Immunisation Service Providers (PDF 383KB). Please refer to the cold chain management webpage for further information.

All cold chain breaches (CCBs), vaccine expiry or other potential wastage of government-funded vaccines must be reported immediately.

• Regional providers should submit reports using the CCB and Vaccine Wastage Form (external site).
• Metropolitan providers should submit reports using the separate Boorloo Public Health Unit Cold Chain Breach Form – Government-funded vaccines (external site). 
• Report expired vaccines by selecting the ‘Vaccine expiry’ as the incident type. 

All reports are forwarded to the relevant Public Health Unit (PHU) for assessment. Do not discard vaccines unless you are instructed to do so by a WA Health representative. 

Refer to the vaccine ordering webpage Vaccine ordering for further information or contact your PHU.

Immunisation providers who can administer COVID-19 vaccines include: 

• Aboriginal health practitioners 
• Enrolled nurses
• General practitioners (GPs)  
• Midwives
• Nurse practitioners
• Pharmacists
• Registered nurses. 

Immunisation sites where providers can administer COVID-19 vaccines include: 

• Aboriginal Medical Services 
• antenatal clinics
• community health immunisation clinics 
• general practice clinics
• maternity hospitals
• pharmacies (for people over 5 years of age)
• residential aged care homes.

Training to administer COVID vaccines

There is no additional training required to administer a COVID-19 vaccine. For immunisation providers working under the Structured Administration Supply Arrangements (SASA), the educational requirements are in line with the general vaccination SASA found on the Structured Administration and Supply Arrangements webpage.

Subscribe to Vaccine Updates for important announcements and updates.

AusVaxSafety (external site) conducts routine safety monitoring of vaccines. Surveillance data are based on vaccine safety surveys sent in the days following vaccination. 

Rapid safety surveillance provides reassurance that vaccines in Australia are safe. To learn more about the latest vaccine safety data, including specific age and population groups, visit AusVaxSafety (external site). 

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) also monitors the safety of vaccines after they are supplied in Australia, including through reports of suspected adverse events following immunisation. 

Reporting an adverse event following immunisation (AEFI)

The WA Vaccine Safety Surveillance (WAVSS) system is the central reporting service in WA for significant adverse events following immunisation (AEFI) or vaccine administration errors (VAEs).  

Providers should report any severe or potentially significant AEFI and VAE via the WAVSS reporting system as soon as possible, at SAFEVAC including:  

• any significant (or rare and unexpected) AEFI in both children and adults 
• any vaccine reaction that requires assessment by a doctor or nurse 
• any vaccine reaction that has affected a family’s confidence in future immunisation. 

You can report adverse events even if you are not sure whether the vaccine caused the event. 

For more information refer to Adverse event following immunisation (AEFI).  

All clinical incidents (including VAEs) that occur within a WA Health, Health Service Provider (HSP) and require treatment must be reported via WAVSS and in accordance with Clinical Incident Management Policy (MP 0122/19).