Respiratory Infection Vaccinations

Influenza

ATAGI recommend influenza vaccination for all Australians aged six months and over.

NIP-funded vaccination is available for:

• Children aged six months to five years
• First Nations Australians aged six months and over
• Pregnant women
• People aged 65 years and over

It is also funded for people with certain medical conditions including the following lung conditions:

• Suppurative lung disease
• Bronchiectasis
• Cystic fibrosis
• COPD and chronic emphysema
• Severe asthma (requiring frequent medical consultations or the use of multiple medicines).

You can learn more in the Australian Immunisation Handbook – Influenza.

COVID-19

COVID-19 vaccination is recommended every six months for Australians aged 75 years and over, and every 12 months for 65-74 year-olds and 18-64 year-olds with immunocompromise.

You can learn more in the Australian Immunisation Handbook – COVID-19.

Pneumococcal disease

NIP-funded vaccination is available as a routine childhood immunisation. It’s also available for:

• First Nations Australians aged 50 years and over
• Non-Indigenous Australians aged 70 years (catch-ups 71-79 years)

It is also available for people with certain medical conditions including the following lung conditions:

• Suppurative lung disease
• Bronchiectasis
• Cystic fibrosis
• Chronic lung disease in preterm infants.

ATAGI recommend vaccination for people living with the following, but it is not NIP-funded for them:

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD)
• Severe asthma (requiring frequent medical consultations or the use of multiple medicines
• Interstitial and fibrotic lung disease
• People who smoke(current or in the immediate past)

You can read more in the Australian Immunisation Handbook – Pneumococcal disease.

Discuss pneumococcal vaccination with your patients who have COPD, interstitial and fibrotic lung disease, or severe asthma. Don’t wait until they are 70 (or 50 for First Nations Australians) for the free vaccine. Patients may be willing to pay, and some health insurance policies subsidise the cost.

Pertussis

NIP-funded vaccination is available as a routine childhood immunisation. It is also available for:

• Pregnant women

NIP-funded vaccination is available as a routine childhood immunisation. It is also available for:

• Breastfeeding women (who didn’t receive a booster during pregnancy)
• People aged 50 years with their tetanus booster
• People aged ≥65 years if more than 10 years since last dose
• Adults who have not received a pertussis booster in the past 10 years who are healthcare workers
• Early childhood educators and carers or in close contact with infants
• Travellers

Read more in the Australian Immunisation Handbook – Pertussis.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)

ATAGI recommend vaccinations for people aged 75 years and over, First Nations Australians aged 60 to 74 years, and people aged 60 to 74 years with the following lung conditions:

• Suppurative lung disease
• Bronchiectasis
• Cystic fibrosis
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and chronic emphysema
• Severe asthma

Read more in the Australian Immunisation Handbook – Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).