Vaccine guide: Experts advise Australians to start considering having Covid, flu jab now

As winter approaches, doctors are advising Australians to start thinking about their next vaccines. Here is an expert guide on when to have your Covid and flu jabs.

If it has been six months since you had either the Covid virus or a Covid vaccine, the expert advice is to consider having the 2023 booster dose now.

Professor Michelle Giles says irrespective of how many doses of the vaccine people have had, if they haven’t had a dose in the last six months and haven’t had Covid in the last six months, think about getting a vaccine.

“We are trying to move away from counting doses,” Professor Giles says. The deputy chair of the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) and Doherty Institute infectious disease physician, she says it contributes to confusion.

“We talk about the 2023 booster advice,” she says.

That advice is for two groups: those who ATAGI “recommends” to have the booster and groups that could “consider” having one.

Professor Michelle Giles is advising Australians who have not had a vaccination in the past six months to consider having one. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Crosling

“The reason we differentiate is that the main purpose of the booster, and always has been, is to prevent severe disease,” Professor Giles said.

“If you are over 65 and for those people aged between 18 and 64 who have another medical condition which puts them at risk of severe disease, we recommend the booster.

“For everyone else over 18 … you can consider getting a 2023 booster after you talk to your healthcare provider. For the groups ATAGI say to “consider” the vaccine, this reflects they are not at risk for severe disease.”

As to what booster to get, Professor Giles says any Covid vaccine will boost your immune system and give you protection, but the bivalent vaccines provide some better protection.

Professor Giles said it was also safe to have the Covid dose on the same day as your flu vaccine.

There is also no need to remember which vaccines to ask for when getting it through a GP, pharmacist or workplace.

“They will have stock of the funded vaccines, through the national immunisation program, and will be aware of the recommended ones.”

It is safe to have your Covid and flu vaccinations at the same time, Professor Giles says. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Brenton Edwards

For children under the age of five, Professor Giles says there is no recommended booster dose of Covid vaccine as children get very mild disease. In contrast, she says, the flu can cause significant disease in children and the flu vaccine is recommended from six months of age.

Professor Giles says pregnant women are a priority group, along with children, to receive the flu vaccine, adding the vaccine is safe in pregnancy.

“It is safe like it always has been,” she says.

“The flu has always caused more severe disease in pregnant women and always recommended in all pregnant women in any trimester.

“It is really important, not just to protect yourself from severe disease, but to protect your baby who is not going to have any other protection for the first six months of life.”

Professor Giles says the advice from ATAGI is that because the peak of the flu season is so difficult to predict, get the flu vaccine when it is available.

“I would advise against delaying because there is already some circulating virus. The flu vaccines are available now, have it now.”

2023 Covid booster:

• Six months after your last booster or Covid infection

• Recommended: In people over the age of 65 and those aged between 18-64 with medical conditions to prevent severe disease

• Consider: With no medical conditions and aged between 18-64

Flu vaccines:

• Have your flu vaccine now

• It is safe to have on the same day as your 2023 Covid booster

• Safe for pregnant women, and for babies over the age of six months

Originally published as Vaccine guide: Experts advise Australians to start considering having Covid, flu jab now