From 1 October 2026, Australia’s COVID-19 vaccines transitioned from the universal National COVID-19 Vaccine Program (NCVP) to the National Immunisation Program (NIP). Free-funded vaccines are no longer universal and are now restricted to specific Medicare-eligible high-risk groups who are:

• Adults aged 75 years and over: 1 dose every 6 months (two funded doses per year)
  
• Adults aged 65 to 74 years: 1 dose every 12 months
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 50 to 74 years: 1 dose every 12 months
• Adults aged 18 years and over with severe immunocompromise: 1 dose every 12 months.

People who do not meet the NIP eligibility criteria can still receive the COVID-19 vaccine, but they must purchase it privately after consulting a healthcare provider.

Refer to the ATAGI Statement https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-09/atagi-statement-on-transition-of-covid-19-vaccines-to-the-national-immunisation-program.pdf