COVID-19 vaccination program Phase 1b
Learn more about Phase 1b of the COVID-19 vaccination program.

Thursday 8 April 2021: The Australian Government is reviewing the COVID-19 vaccination program rollout. This webpage will be updated with the new rollout details as soon as possible. Please read the ATAGI statement for the latest information about the recent AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine safety advice.
How Phase 1b will work
More than 4,500 accredited general practices will participate in Australia’s COVID-19 rollout.
Across the country, more than 130 Respiratory Clinics and over 300 Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service sites will also support the rollout from the commencement of Phase 1b.
Who can be vaccinated under Phase 1b?
People eligible for vaccination under Phase 1b are:
- Healthcare workers currently employed and not included in Phase 1a
- Household contacts of quarantine and border workers
- Critical and high risk workers who are currently employed
- Elderly people aged 80 and over
- Elderly people aged 70 and over
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 55 years and over
- Adults with an underlying medical condition or significant disability
Healthcare Workers
Who | Where | Requirements |
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Individuals working in health care including doctors, nurses and midwives, allied health professionals, dental practitioners |
Vaccination clinics by appointment Pfizer hubs if contacted by jurisdiction |
Proof of occupation (ID card, letter from employer or Eligibility Declaration Form) will be required to demonstrate eligibility |
All public and private hospital staff |
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Healthcare workers in private practice |
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Community pharmacy staff | ||
All healthcare workers providing in-home and community disability and aged care, including centre-based care |
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Workers who regularly engage in person with those receiving aged care or those with a disability in phase 1a or 1b, including aged care assessment workforce, those conducting regulatory activities and advocacy services |
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All healthcare workers in clinical settings, including students on placement |
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Onsite administrative staff in healthcare settings |
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Cleaners, kitchen staff and other ancillary staff in healthcare settings |
Household contacts of quarantine and border workers
Who | Where | Requirements |
---|---|---|
Household contacts (those living in the same primary residence) of quarantine and border workers, noting the ongoing greatest risk in Australia is in relation to border entry and hotel quarantine |
Vaccination clinics by appointment Pfizer hubs if contacted by your state or territory |
Proof of occupation (ID card, letter from employer or Eligibility Declaration Form) from the worker, along with evidence to demonstrate the household contact lives at the same residential address will be required to demonstrate eligibility |
Critical and High Risk Workers
Who | Where | Requirements |
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Emergency services personnel, including frontline police officers, fire and rescue personnel, corrective services officers |
Vaccination clinics by appointment Defence to provide for ADF |
Proof of occupation (ID card, letter from employer or Eligibility Declaration Form) will be required to demonstrate eligibility |
Rural Fire Service and State Emergency Service volunteers | ||
Active Australian Defence Force personnel |
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Australian Government officials about to be deployed or currently deployed overseas on official government business | ||
Workers involved in manufacture of AstraZeneca vaccine and distribution/delivery of COVID-19 vaccines |
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Workers at licensed meat processing businesses where they are directly involved in the manufacturing and distribution process, where the work is in a cold environment and where workers are unable to maintain distancing requirements. Included:
Excluded:
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Elderly people
Who | Where | Requirements |
---|---|---|
People aged 80 and over |
Vaccination clinics by appointment |
All standard forms of identification (drivers licence, passport) will be accepted. For individuals attending their usual GP, the clinic’s records may be relied upon as evidence. Other forms of accepted evidence include:
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People aged 70 and over |
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
Who | Where | Requirements |
---|---|---|
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 55 and over |
Vaccination clinics by appointment |
Self-identification as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander at the time of vaccination, which may be verbal For age requirements: All standard forms of identification (drivers licence, passport) will be accepted. For individuals attending their usual GP, the clinic's records may be relied upon as evidence. Other forms of accepted evidence include:
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Note: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged under 55 will also fall under Phase 1b where they meet other Phase 1b criteria. For example, an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person aged under 55 who is a critical or high risk worker may be eligible under Phase 1b.
Adults with a specified underlying medical condition
Who | Where | Requirements |
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Adults with a specified underlying medical condition |
Vaccination clinics by appointment |
For individuals, attending their usual GP, the clinic's records may be relied upon as evidence. MyHealth Record A referral from GP or treating specialist. Alternative medical records, including:
Where none of these are available, individuals may complete an Eligibility Declaration Form. |
Other eligible individuals
Included | Where | Requirements |
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Carers (paid and unpaid) of:
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Phase 1b sites by appointment or by other arrangement. |
Carers documentation or proof of occupation (ID card or letter from employer/centre-based support provider). Where none of these are available, including family members or others who can provide significant care, individuals may complete an Eligibility Declaration Form. |
Disability and aged care support volunteers who provide support to people in their homes, respite care, educational, employment, leisure and/or residential settings, including those providing transport and advocacy services. |
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People with a disability or with age-related conditions (e.g. early onset dementia) attending centre-based services (e.g. day programs, respite care, supported employment). |
Note: The following groups of people are not included in Phase 1b:
- family members of people with disability who are not carers
- carers of adults not eligible under Phases 1a or 1b
Specified underlying medical conditions
This is the list of specified underlying medical conditions for Phase 1b.
It is relevant for:
- Adults with a specified underlying medical condition
- Carers (paid or unpaid) of adults with a specified underlying medical condition
- Carers (paid or unpaid) of children with a specified underlying medical condition.
Conditions | Notes |
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Immunocompromising conditions |
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Haematological diseases or cancers |
Including leukaemia, lymphoma or myeloma resulting in immunocompromise Recommend discussion with specialist regarding optimal timing of vaccination |
Solid organ transplant recipients who are on immune suppressive therapy |
Recommend discussion with specialist regarding optimal timing of vaccination |
Bone marrow transplant recipients or chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy recipients or those with graft host disease |
Recommend discussion with specialist regarding optimal timing of vaccination |
Non-haematological cancer |
Diagnosed within the past 5 years or on chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy or targeted anti-cancer therapy (active treatment or recently completed) or with advanced disease regardless of treatment |
Adult survivors of childhood cancers |
Nil |
Chronic inflammatory conditions requiring medical treatments |
Including: systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and similar who are being treated with disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) or immune-suppressive or immunomodulatory therapies. Generally not inclusive of people living with osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome or similar non-immunocompromising inflammatory conditions. |
Primary or acquired immunodeficiency |
Including congenital causes of immunodeficiency and HIV/AIDS |
Other underlying conditions |
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Chronic renal (kidney) failure with a eGFR of <44mL/min |
Does not include mild-moderate chronic kidney disease |
Heart disease |
Including ischaemic heart disease, valvular heart disease, cardiomyopathies and pulmonary hypertension |
Chronic lung disease |
Including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis, interstitial lung disease. Does not include Mild or moderate asthma |
Diabetes |
Nil |
Severe obesity with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 40kg/m2 |
Nil |
Chronic liver disease |
Nil |
Chronic neurological conditions |
Including stroke, dementia, multiple sclerosis, motor neurone disease, Parkinson’s disease, cerebral palsy. Generally not inclusive of migraine or cluster headaches Generally not inclusive of migraine or cluster headaches |
Poorly controlled blood pressure (defined as two or more pharmacologic agents for blood pressure control, regardless of readings) |
Nil |
Those living with significant disability requiring frequent assistance with activities of daily living |
Including Down syndrome, muscular dystrophy, traumatic brain and spinal cord injury, severe intellectual disability |
Those with severe mental health conditions |
Including schizophrenia, bi-polar disorder affecting ability to adhere to public health measures |