The fourth COVID-19 vaccine – a guide for guardians
On 7 July 2022, the Australian Government announced that 7.4 million Australians are eligible to receive a 4th COVID-19 vaccination. The 4th COVID-19 booster vaccine has been available since 11 July 2022.
The 4th COVID-19 booster vaccine has been made available to provide additional protection to people for Omicron subvariant infections, and to help reduce the burden on Australia’s hospital and health-care systems.
Your role as a guardian
If a person is able to provide their own informed consent to receive the vaccine, there is no need for a guardian or person responsible to provide substitute consent. A person’s capacity to provide informed consent is detemined by a medical practitioner.
However, if the person you represent cannot provide their own informed consent to receive the vaccine, you may be required to provide or withold consent on their behalf.
The medical practitioner should provide you with information about the general nature and effects of the vaccine and the risks. They should take into consideration the person’s other health issues and any medications they are receiving so you can make an informed decision on the person’s behalf.
You and the medical practitioner should sign the consent form developed by the Australian Government Department of Health, or similar. Consent can also be provided verbally, if you are satisfied the decision is in the person’s interests and all the information has been considered.
Who should consider getting a 4th COVID-19 dose
An additional booster or 4th dose is recommended for people with an increased chance of severe illness as a result of contracting COVID-19.
It is recommended that individuals should get a fourth dose if they are:
- 50 years or older
- 16 years or older and reside in an aged care or disability care facility
- 16 years or older and are severely immunocompromised
- Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and aged 50 years or older
- 16 years or older and have an increased risk, due to a medical condition that will increase the risk of severe COVID-19 illness
- 16 years or older with a disability.
The Australian Technical Advisory group on Immunisation has also advised that people aged between 30 and 49 years old can receive a 4th COVID-19 booster if they wish.
More information
- You can call the National Coronavirus Helpline on 1800 020 080 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- To find a clinic to book a vaccine, you can use the Vaccine Clinic Finder.
- You can call the Easy Vaccine Access (EVA) by sending an SMS “Hey EVA” to 0481 611 382. You will receive a reply asking you a series of questions and a trained operator from the National Coronavirus Helpline will call you at a pre-arranged time to help you book your COVID-19 vaccination.
- You can call the Disability Gateway Helpline on 1800 020 080. Select option ‘5’ for people with disability. This service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.