COVID-19 vaccination information

COVID-19 vaccination information

Updated 11/10/2022

Vaccination

COVID vaccines are free and available for children aged 6 months and older.

Vaccines help protect you and your child against serious illness.

Disability Liaison Officers

Disability Liaison Officers can help you with your child’s disability support needs to get vaccinated.

To contact a DLO:

• Email DLOcoordinator@dhhs.vic.gov.au
• Or complete the online request form
• Or call the Coronavirus Hotline on 1800 675 398

Who can get vaccinated

• 6 months to 5-year-olds with disability or complex health issues can get vaccinated
• 5 to 11-year-olds can have two doses (no booster)
• 12 to 15-year-olds with a disability that includes significant health needs can have a third dose
• Everyone 16 and over can have a third dose
• People aged 30 and over can have a fourth dose
• Everyone aged 50 and over are highly recommended to get a fourth dose
• Additional doses may be required if you are immunocompromised. Talk to your doctor about this
• You can get the COVID vaccine 3 months after you have had COVID

Where your child can get vaccinated

There are a number of ways that children with disability can get vaccinated:

1. GP or pharmacy
2. At home. A Disability Liaison Officer can help with this.
3. Children who need sedation
   Sedation requires a referral from a GP or specialist from the Victorian Specialist Immunisation Service (VicSIS).
4. Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) patients
   Patients aged 6 months and over who have a chronic medical condition can be vaccinated at RCH. This is not available to the general public. Appointments are essential, no walk-ins. Book through the RCH Immunisation Hotline 1300 882 924.

Supporting your child to get vaccinated

These resources can help you support your child to get vaccinated:

• COVID vaccination social scripts – new social script for children available
• Visual schedules and information in Easy English 
• How to support a child with needle phobia
• Supporting young people with disability with decision-making when getting consent for a COVID vaccine

Translated resources

Go to our COVID-19 translated resources page for our translated fact sheet about getting a COVID vaccine for children with additional needs or disability. The fact sheet is available in Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, Vietnamese and English.

More Information

For more information about testing or what to do if you have COVID visit coronavirus.vic.gov.au or call 1800 675 398