Respiratory infections

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:

• Bronchiectasis
• Cystic fibrosis
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• 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 25 and over
• Non-Indigenous Australians aged 65 and over

It is also available for people under 65 (or 25 First Nations) with certain medical conditions including the following lung conditions:

• Bronchiectasis
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Cystic fibrosis

ATAGI recommend vaccination for people under 65 (or 25 if First Nations) living with the following, but it is not NIP-funded for them:

• 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)

Important note: NIP-eligible adults who have received adult pneumococcal vaccines prior to July 2026 require re-vaccination (NIP-funded).

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

Pertussis

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

• Pregnant women

Vaccination for the following groups is recommended by ATAGI, but not NIP-funded:

• 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)

NIP-funded vaccination is available for people aged 75 years and over, and First Nations Australians aged 60 years and over.

ATAGI recommend vaccination for (non-Indigenous) people aged 60 to 74 years with the following lung conditions, but it is not NIP-funded for them:

• Bronchiectasis
• Cystic fibrosis
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Severe asthma (requiring frequent medical consultations or the use of multiple medications)

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