Vaccines for adults
The National Immunisation Program (NIP) schedule provides free routine vaccinations for eligible adults.
Some vaccines require booster doses to maintain protection. Vaccination is often recommended at specific ages for the best protection.
The following vaccines are provided free to adults:
| Age | Disease |
|---|---|
| Pregnant women | Influenza, pertussis (whooping cough) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) – See Immunisation for pregnancy |
| All Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults | Influenza |
| Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults 50 years and over | Pneumococcal and shingles |
| Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults 60 years and over | Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) |
| People 65 years and over | Influenza and shingles |
| People 70 years and over | Pneumococcal |
| People 75 years and over | respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) |
Find more information:
Influenza vaccine
The influenza vaccine is free through the National Immunisation Program for:
- pregnant women at any stage of pregnancy and for every pregnancy
- adults 65 years and over
- all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults
- people with specific medical conditions.
The influenza virus strains change every year and the vaccine changes to match the new strain. That is why it is important for people to keep up to date with vaccinations.
If you are not eligible for a free influenza vaccine, you can buy it privately through a GP or pharmacy.
Find more information:
Pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine
The whooping cough vaccine is recommended between 20 and 32 weeks of every pregnancy although it can be given up to the time of delivery.
Vaccination during pregnancy is the best way to protect newborn babies from birth against whooping cough.
Find more information:
- Whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine
- Immunisation for pregnancy
- Whooping cough (pertussis) - Australian Centre for Disease Control.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common virus that can cause respiratory illness, including severe conditions such as bronchiolitis and pneumonia.
RSV can be especially serious for older adults, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and babies and infants.
Vaccination is a safe and effective way to protect against serious disease caused by RSV.
The RSV vaccine is recommended for:
- adults aged 75 years and over
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 60 years and over
- pregnant women between 28 and 36 weeks of pregnancy.
Vaccination during pregnancy helps protect newborn babies from birth against RSV and reduces the risk of severe illness and complications in early life.
Find out more information:
- Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine
- Immunisation for pregnancy
- Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) - Australian Centre for Disease Control.
Shingles (herpes zoster) vaccine
Shingles (also called herpes zoster) occurs when the chickenpox virus reactivates. It can cause severe nerve pain that may last for months.
Shingles can be especially serious for older people and those with weakened immune systems.
Vaccination is a safe and effective way to reduce the risk of shingles and its complications.
The shingles vaccine is free through the National Immunisation Program (NIP) for:
- people aged 65 years and over
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 50 years and over
- people aged 18 years and over at increased risk due to certain medical conditions or treatments.
The shingles vaccine is not a live vaccine and is safe for people who are immunocompromised.
If you have previously received the Zostavax shingles vaccine, you may need to wait before receiving a free shingles vaccine under the NIP. Speak to your health professional about your eligibility.
Find more information:
Pneumococcal disease is a bacterial infection that can cause serious illness, particularly in older adults.
It can lead to conditions such as:
- pneumonia
- infection of the blood (sepsis)
- inflammation of the membranes around the brain (meningitis).
Vaccination is a safe and effective way to protect against pneumococcal disease.
The pneumococcal vaccine is free through the National Immunisation Program (NIP) for:
- adults aged 70 years and over
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults aged 50 years and over
Find more information:
Adults with medical risk conditions
Some adults with certain medical conditions may be at higher risk of serious disease and may need additional vaccines.
Speak to your health professional about which vaccines are recommended for you.
Find more information: Immunisations for people with medical risk conditions.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults can access additional free vaccines through the National Immunisation Program (NIP).
From age 50, this includes vaccines for pneumococcal disease and shingles. Annual influenza vaccination is also recommended and funded for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Adults aged 60 years and over can also receive a free RSV vaccine.
Talk to your health professional or Aboriginal health worker about which vaccines are recommended for you and your eligibility.
Find more information: Immunisation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Missed vaccinations
The vaccines listed below are part of the routine childhood schedule:
- Polio vaccine
- Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine
- Chickenpox (varicella) vaccine
- Hepatitis B vaccine.
Most adults will not need booster doses for these vaccines. However, we recommend you talk to your health professional if you are not sure if:
- you have had all the recommended vaccines
- you may need boosters
- someone in your care may need additional vaccines or boosters.
Please note that the National Immunisation Program (NIP) does not cover adults for missed vaccines. Missed vaccines can only be caught up for people up to 20 years old (25 years old for the HPV vaccine). You can buy additional vaccines privately if you need to.
Refugees and other humanitarian entrants of any age can get National Immunisation Program vaccines for free if they did not receive the vaccines in childhood and they are still clinically recommended.
Check the National Immunisation Program schedule and talk to your health professional if you have not had all the recommended childhood or adolescent vaccinations.
Booster vaccines
A booster is an extra dose of a vaccine that you have had previously. It 'boosts' your immune system.
The following vaccinations need booster doses.
- Diphtheria
- Tetanus
- Whooping cough (pertussis)
Diphtheria and tetanus vaccinations are given as diphtheria-tetanus (dT) or diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough (pertussis) (dTpa) vaccinations.
Diphtheria is a serious bacterial infection. The bacteria releases a toxin (poison) into your body. This toxin can affect your airways and cause a membrane to grow across your windpipe. This makes breathing difficult. If the membrane blocks your windpipe, it can lead to suffocation and death.
The Australian Immunisation Handbook recommends a booster dose of diphtheria-containing vaccine for specific groups including:
- adults aged 50 years or over
- have not had a diphtheria-containing vaccine in the last 10 years
- specific laboratory workers.
Tetanus is a serious disease that causes severe muscle spasms, especially in the neck and jaw (called lockjaw). It can sometimes cause death.
The Australian Immunisation Handbook recommends a booster dose of tetanus-containing vaccine for specific groups including:
A booster dose of a tetanus-containing vaccine is recommended for adults who:
- are adults aged 50 years or over
- have not had a tetanus-containing vaccine in the past 10 years
- have a wound that is not a minor cut, and your previous dose was more than 5 years ago
- have previously had a primary course of 3 doses.
Whooping cough (pertussis) is serious disease that can lead to pneumonia, brain injury and sometimes death. It can affect people at any age but it is especially serious for babies.
The Australian Immunisation Handbook recommends a booster dose of the whooping cough vaccine for specific groups including:
- adults aged 65 years or over
- people who are in close contact with infants.
The National Immunisation Program (NIP) does not cover booster vaccines for adults. You can buy additional vaccines privately if you need to. Talk to your health professional if you think you or someone in your care may need additional vaccines.
Find more information:
- Diphtheria vaccine
- Tetanus vaccine
- Whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine
- Diphtheria - Australian Centre for Disease Control
- Tetanus - Australian Centre for Disease Control
- Whooping cough (pertussis) - Australian Centre for Disease Control.
Getting vaccinated
Find out more about getting vaccinated, including:
- where you can get vaccinated
- if you need to pay
- who can be vaccinated
- what to expect at your vaccination visit
- side effects.