Covid-19 Booster Vaccine Advice

You are eligible for a COVID-19 booster dose if:

  • you are 18 years and older, and
  • have had your second dose of your primary dose course of COVID-19 vaccination at least 4 months ago.

Booster doses are not mandatory, however they are recommended to maintain immunity against COVID-19.

Benefits of a booster dose

Two doses of COVID-19 vaccine provide very good protection, especially against severe disease.

A booster dose will make sure the protection from the first dose is even stronger and longer lasting, and should help prevent spread of the virus.

A booster dose increases your protection against:

  • infection with the virus that causes COVID-19,
  • severe disease,
  • dying from COVID-19.

A booster dose will continue to protect you, your loved ones and your community against COVID-19.

Booster doses will be free for everyone.

Who Should Get a Booster Dose

Booster doses are available to everyone 18 years and over who have had both doses of their primary course of a COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months ago. Please ensure when you book your booster that it has been more than 6 months or your appointment will need to be rescheduled.

The Comirnaty (Pfizer) vaccine is approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and recommended by ATAGI as a COVID-19 booster dose.

You can have the Pfizer vaccine as a booster dose regardless of which vaccine you had for your first 2 doses.

You can also receive the Vaxzevria (AstraZeneca) vaccine if you:

  • can’t have the Pfizer vaccine for medical reasons
  • had 2 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine previously without any problems.

Lake Cathie Medical Centre will continue to offer AstraZeneca vaccination appointments every second Saturday and Bonny Hills Medical Centre will offer Pfizer vaccinations every Monday. Please visit our website at www.lcmc.com.au to book your preferred vaccine booster dose

If you are not sure which vaccine to choose, please book a tele-health appointment with your regular GP to discuss.

Please note that some people who are severely immuno-compromised may be eligible for a third dose as part of their primary vaccination course – this is not a booster dose. There are strict criteria of who is eligible for this dose and it is given between 2 and 6 months from their second dose.

Please make an appointment to discuss this with your GP if you think you may be eligible.