Information for disability workers about COVID-19 vaccines

Why you need to be vaccinated

All states and territories have mandated COVID-19 vaccination for disability support workers through public health orders. Follow the links below for details.

• Australian Capital Territory
• New South Wales
• Northern Territory
• Queensland 
• South Australia 
• Tasmania 
• Victoria
• Western Australia .

You can also read this AHPPC statement recommending mandatory vaccination for disability support workers who provide supports to people with disability.

About booster doses

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 3 months ago. 

People who have had 2 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine are fully vaccinated and very well protected against serious illness, hospitalisation or death from COVID-19. A booster dose will boost a person’s immune response and provide an additional layer to further reduce the risk of breakthrough infection (when a fully vaccinated person gets COVID-19 and is at risk of transmitting the virus to others).   

Booster program for the disability community

People with disability and disability workers are encouraged to receive a COVID-19 vaccine booster from 3 months after their second dose.

The Australian Government started administering booster doses to people with disability and disability workers in shared residential accommodation from 8 November 2021.

This program will take time to roll out. Your employer will let you know when a vaccine at the residential accommodation you work at will be administered and check if you wish to access the booster dose that way. If you haven’t had your first or second dose of the vaccine, you can organise to do that on the day too.

Booster doses can also be organised for people in these settings in other ways, as set out below.

Staying up to date

To be considered up to date with COVID-19 vaccination, you must have completed all the doses recommended for your age and health status.

Find out about how to stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines.

Where to get vaccinated

There are several ways you can get a COVID-19 vaccine or booster dose. The simplest option is to use the Vaccine Clinic Finder, which is a complete list of all participating clinics in Australia.

Find a clinic and book

Other options include:

• checking the list of disability vaccination hubs
• making an appointment directly at a participating general practice or vaccination clinic
• booking at a local participating pharmacy
• checking with your workplace if they are arranging vaccinations for staff (if you work in a disability residential support setting).

Vaccination statistics

Our COVID-19 vaccination daily rollout updates contain the latest statistics on the vaccination rate of people with disability and the disability workforce.