Winter Vaccine Doses Now Available

MBV would like to remind members that with the colder months approaching, you can now get both your winter dose of COVID-19 vaccine and your annual influenza vaccine to increase your protection. This will also help protect the health of workmates, family members, and the wider community.

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) has recommended a winter dose of COVID-19 vaccine to increase protection for certain groups of people at greatest risk of illness from COVID-19. These groups are:

• Adults aged 65 years and older
• Residents of aged care or disability care facilities
• People aged 16 years and older who are severely immunocompromised
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 50 years and older

 Eligible people can get their winter dose four or more months after receiving their third COVID-19 vaccination dose.

Winter doses are now available from all state-run vaccination centres. You can book your winter dose via the online vaccination booking portal or by calling the Coronavirus Hotline on 1800 675 398.

You can also get your winter dose from at your local GP and pharmacy.

Influenza vaccines

With the international borders reopening, the possibility of a resurgence of influenza occurring in 2022, and having lower levels of influenza vaccine coverage compared to previous years, it is recommended that people receive an annual influenza vaccine.

Flu vaccines can also be co-administered (on the same day) with a COVID-19 vaccine.

Please consider getting your vaccine doses as soon as possible, and help protect the health of our industry's workers and the wider community.