Thought Archive

COVID-19 Vaccination Guidelines in Australia (2025)

21 Aug 2025

COVID-19 Vaccination Guidelines in Australia (2025)

COVID-19 Vaccination Guidelines in Australia (2025)

See also: The mRNA Vaccine War Isn’t Over — Pediatrics Just Drew a New Line

Australia’s approach to COVID-19 vaccination has diverged from the U.S. and Europe in 2025.
While the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) now recommends vaccination for all children 6–23 months, Australia has taken a far more conservative stance.

Children and Adolescents

  • Healthy infants, children, and adolescents under 18
    Not recommended to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, unless they have medical conditions that increase their risk of severe disease.
    Rationale: severe illness in this group remains extremely rare.

  • Children with medical risk factors
    Eligible—and in some cases recommended—to receive COVID-19 vaccines, including annual boosters.
    Risk factors include immunocompromise, chronic conditions, or significant disability.

  • Infants/toddlers (<5) with medical risk
    Eligible for vaccination, but only under clinical advice.

Adults

  • Adults 75+ — booster every 6 months.
  • High-risk adults (18–74) — annual booster.
  • Healthy adults under 65 — not routinely recommended, but optional.

Key Context

  • ATAGI reaffirmed its stance in April 2025: vaccines are important for high-risk adults, but healthy children should not be vaccinated.
  • Previous provisional approvals (like Comirnaty for 5–11 year olds with risk factors) remain in place.
  • Vaccine uptake has dropped sharply in children overall, with the federal government drafting a new immunisation strategy to restore trust.

Comparison with the U.S.

  • AAP (U.S.): Recommends vaccination for all children 6–23 months.
  • ATAGI (Australia): Advises against vaccination for healthy children under 18.

This divergence highlights a growing global reality: there is no longer a unified consensus on how to handle pediatric COVID-19 vaccination.

Sources