Is it true? How long does it take for the vaccines to work?
To receive the best protection against serious illness or death from COVID-19, You should stay up to date with all vaccinations recommended for your age or individual health needs.
The ATAGI recommended doses and vaccines outlines which vaccines and doses are recommended for each age and population group.
Whilst partial protection against COVID-19 may be as soon as 12 days after the first dose, this protection is likely to be short lived.
The final dose in the primary course encourages the body to create stronger protection (immunity) against the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19. Individuals may not be fully protected until 7-14 days after this dose.
Booster doses will make sure the protection from your primary course of COVID-19 vaccines is even stronger and longer lasting.
ATAGI recommends a 2023 COVID-19 vaccine booster dose for adults in the following groups:
- All adults aged 65 years and over
- Adults aged 18-64 years who have medical comorbidities that increase their risk of sever COVID-19, or disability with significant or complex health needs.
If you have had your last COVID-19 vaccine dose or confirmed infection, whichever is the most recent, you should wait 6 months until you consider a 2023 booster dose.
While COVID-19 vaccines offer protection, you can still become ill and infect others around you, so you should continue COVIDSafe practices.
Learn more about 2023 COVID-19 booster doses.