COVID vaccines stop being free from October 1 for most Australians
Free COVID vaccines will go only to high-risk groups from October 1. Others must pay.
COVID-19 vaccines have been free for all Australians for five-and-a-half years. From October 1, only high-risk groups get free doses.
These include people over 75, immunocompromised people, and First Nations Australians. Everyone else must pay.
The exact cost is still unknown. The government is still working out prices with manufacturers.
News may not come until the last week of September. Pharmacists think the vaccine will cost much more than the $25 to $35 Australians typically pay for an annual flu shot.
COVID vaccines are moving from emergency pandemic funding to the routine National Immunisation Program. They will sit alongside flu and RSV vaccines.
This change reflects a move from emergency response to long-term protection for people at highest risk of severe illness.
- 5 years and 6 months
- Years free for all
- October 1
- Policy change date
- $25 to $35
- Flu vaccine cost range
- Late September
- Price announcement expected
Why it mattersMany Australians will face a new out-of-pocket cost. Vaccination rates are already declining. COVID still causes more deaths than flu in older age groups.
AustraliaAustralian vaccination rates may fall when COVID vaccines become paid-only, and people on low incomes will face new barriers to protection against the virus.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 8 d ago
