From 1 October 2026, COVID-19 vaccines will transition to the National Immunisation Program (NIP), replacing the stand-alone National COVID-19 Vaccine Program (NCVP) established during Australia’s COVID-19 pandemic response.
Under the NIP, funded COVID-19 vaccination will no longer be available as a universal program but will be funded for eligible groups at highest risk of severe disease:
- all adults aged 75 years and over (one dose every 6 months)
- adults aged 65–74 years (one dose every 12 months)
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 50–74 years (one dose every 12 months)
- all adults aged 18 years and over with severe immunocompromise (one dose every 12 months).
People who are not eligible for a funded vaccine may choose to purchase a COVID-19 vaccine privately following a risk-benefit discussion with their healthcare provider.
From 1 October, vaccine ordering, distribution, reporting and program support will be managed through state and territory NIP arrangements, consistent with processes used for other NIP vaccines.
Comprehensive resources to support health professionals will be made available to vaccination providers before 1 October 2026 and the COVID-19 chapter in the Australian Immunisation Handbook will be updated on 1 October 2026.
Until 1 October 2026, providers should continue to recommend and administer COVID-19 vaccines in accordance with the Australian Immunisation Handbook.
Further information is available in the COVID-19 vaccines – Update for immunisation providers resource on the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing website.
