COVID-19 vaccination in Australia
The general COVID-19 vaccination in Australia program began on 22 February 2021 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the goal of vaccinating all willing people in Australia before 2022. Front-line workers and aged care staff and residents had priority for being inoculated, before a gradual phased release to less-vulnerable and lower-risk population groups throughout 2021. The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) approved four vaccines for Australian use in 2021: the Pfizer–BioNTech vaccine on 25 January, the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine on 16 February, Janssen vaccine on 25 June and the Moderna vaccine on 9 August. Although approved for use, the Janssen vaccine was not included in the Australian vaccination program as of June 2021.
COVID-19 vaccinated map of Australia (as of 6 August 2022)
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| Date | 22 February 2021 – 13 April 2023 |
|---|---|
| Location | Australia |
| Cause | COVID-19 pandemic in Australia |
| Target | Immunisation of Australians against COVID-19 |
| Budget | A$1.87 billion |
| Participants |
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| Outcome | 97% of the eligible Australian population aged 12+ have received one dose 95.2% of the eligible Australian population aged 12+ are fully vaccinated 64.5% of the eligible Australian population aged 12+ are booster given |
| Website | Department of Health and Aged Care |
As of 3 August 2022, Australia had administered 62,492,656 vaccine doses across the country. The country's vaccination rollout initially faced criticism for its slow pace and late start, falling far below initial government targets. Despite this, Australia began vaccinating its citizens at a comparatively fast pace, overtaking the United States in first dose coverage by 10 October 2021. Over 95% of the Australian population aged 12 and over are now fully vaccinated.