COVID-19 vaccines give protection against the serious complications of COVID-19 infection. But the protection from previous vaccination weakens over time.
A COVID-19 booster dose helps to boost your immune system. It gives you the best protection available to stop you from becoming seriously ill or needing to go to hospital if you get COVID-19.
Seasonal COVID-19 booster vaccines
We offer seasonal COVID-19 booster vaccines in spring and autumn each year. Boosters are recommended for people who are most at risk of severe illness from COVID-19.
The next seasonal booster vaccines will be offered in autumn. We will update this page with more information closer to that time.
How to get a COVID-19 vaccine at other times
You can get a COVID-19 vaccine at other times of the year if you:
- have never had a COVID-19 vaccine
- are pregnant
- are starting treatment that can weaken the immune system, and you have not had a booster dose in the past 6 months
If you have any questions about getting a COVID-19 vaccine, call HSELive on 1800 700 700.
Booster dose safety
COVID-19 booster vaccines are recommended in many countries. There have not been any unexpected safety concerns so far. The safety of the vaccines continues to be monitored by the European Medicines Agency (EMA).
The National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) recommends that mRNA vaccines are given as booster vaccines.
The most common side effects reported from Pfizer/BioNTech mRNA vaccines are pain at the injection site, headache, fever and tiredness.
Do not get an mRNA booster vaccine if you had a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis):
- to trometamol or polyethylene glycol (PEG)
- after a previous mRNA vaccine
Myocarditis and pericarditis are inflammatory heart conditions and are very rare risks of mRNA vaccines.
These rare side effects are more common in men age under 30, after their second primary vaccine dose. The risk is lower following booster vaccination.
If you have any concerns about COVID-19 vaccines, talk to your GP, nurse, pharmacist or vaccinator.
COVID-19 booster vaccination while pregnant
Read about booster doses needed during pregnancy.