COVID-19 vaccinations in aged care ahead of the festive season

Residential aged care homes (RACH) are communal environments where infections can spread rapidly. Vaccines are the best protection of serious illness and hospitalisation in older people.

From 1 November 2025, the new Aged Care Act 2024 strengthened the requirement for residential aged care providers to provide access to recommended vaccinations for their residents. This includes vaccines such as influenza, COVID-19, shingles and pneumococcal. 

As we approach the festive season, it’s important to make sure residents and staff in RACH keep up to date with their COVID-19 vaccination, as cases normally increase over this period. 

COVID-19 vaccines are free and recommended:

• every 6 months for people aged 75 and over
• every 12 months for people aged 65 to 74
• every 12 months for adults who are severely immunocompromised.

Vaccination helps:

• Minimise transmission of vaccine-preventable diseases.
• Protects residents, as well as staff, visitors, and the broader community.

For more resources (including consumer resources), please refer COVID-19 vaccination information for residents of aged care homes. 

The National Immunisation Program schedule outlines which vaccines an individual is eligible to receive for free and when.