Australia's vaccination experts from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) recommend children who are aged 6 months to under 5 years, get vaccinated against COVID-19 if they have certain health conditions or disability which increase their risk of getting very sick from COVID-19.
The Spikevax (Moderna) vaccine is approved for children aged 6 months to under 5 years with the following or similar conditions:
- severe primary or secondary immunodeficiency, including those undergoing treatment for cancer, or on immunosuppressive treatments as listed in the ATAGI advice on third primary doses of COVID-19 vaccine in individuals who are severely immunocompromised
- bone marrow or stem cell transplant, or chimeric antigen T-cell (CAR-T) therapy
- complex congenital cardiac disease
- structural airway anomalies or chronic lung disease
- Type 1 diabetes mellitus
- chronic neurological or neuromuscular conditions, or
- a disability that requires frequent assistance with activities of daily living, such as severe cerebral palsy or Down Syndrome (Trisomy 21).
Read the full ATAGI statement on vaccination for children aged 6 months to under 5 years here.
It is recommended eligible children have 2 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, given 8 weeks apart. For children who are severely immunocompromised, it is recommended they have a third dose 8 weeks after their second dose. A third dose will increase the protection for these very vulnerable children.
If children have been infected with COVID-19, it is recommended that they wait 3 months before receiving their next COVID-19 vaccine dose. Waiting 3 months between infection and vaccination is likely to provide more protection from the virus for longer.
