Australians have started receiving the first doses of the Pfizer coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine. The Australian Government expects 60,000 doses to be rolled out by the end of February 2021.

The vaccines will be rolled out over three phases. The phases are based on who is at the highest risk of catching COVID and who is at the highest risk of serious illness if they get it.

Among the first groups to get the vaccine are:

• frontline healthcare workers
• aged care and disability care workers
• people receiving aged care and disability care.

Where will you get the vaccine?

Many people with disability living in group residential support settings will get their vaccination where they live. Government vaccination teams will provide these vaccinations.

As more vaccine doses become available, people will be able to get the vaccination at:

• GP respiratory clinics
• general practices that meet specific requirements
• Aboriginal Controlled Community Health Services
• state-run vaccination clinics
• pharmacies.

The three phases of the rollout

Phase 1a

The Australian Government expects around 678,000 people will get vaccinated in this phase.

The vaccines in this phase will go to:

• quarantine and border workers
• frontline health care workers
• aged care and disability care staff
• people receiving aged care
• people receiving disability support.

In the disability sector, priority will be given to:

• people with disability living in residential accommodation (in settings with two or more people with disability only)
• paid workers providing support to people living in residential accommodation with two more people with disability.

Phase 1b

The Australian Government expects around 6,139,000 people will get vaccinated in this phase.

The vaccines will go to:

• adults over 70
• other health care workers
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples over 55
• younger adults with medical conditions or disability
• critical and high-risk workers like police and emergency services.

Phase 2a

The Australian Government expects that around 6,570,000 people will get vaccinated in this phase.

The vaccines will go to:

• adults between 50 and 69
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples between 18 and 54
• other critical and high-risk workers.

Phase 2b

The Australian Government expects that around 6,643,000 people will get vaccinated in this phase.

The vaccines will go to the rest of the adult population not yet vaccinated.

Phase 3

In this phase, the vaccine will be available for children (under 18) if testing shows that it is safe for them to have it.

Resources

You can find more information on the rollout of the Pfizer vaccine in Australia on the Department of Health website:

• When will I get a COVID-19 vaccine?
• COVID-19 vaccination – Australia's COVID-19 vaccine national roll-out strategy
• Information for people with disability about COVID-19 vaccines
• ATAGI – Preliminary advice on general principles to guide the prioritisation of target populations in a COVID-19 vaccination program in Australia