- No appointment requiredWalk in Monday to Friday, subject to pharmacist availability
- Aged 5 and overThe minimum age for a COVID-19 vaccine from a NSW pharmacist
- Now part of the NIPFree for higher-risk groups from October 2026
What changes on 1 October 2026
COVID-19 vaccines are moving to the National Immunisation Program (NIP) from 1 October 2026. This replaces the stand-alone National COVID-19 Vaccine Program that began during the pandemic. The Department of Health explains that COVID-19 is now endemic in Australia, so free vaccines will focus on the people at highest risk of serious illness.
The Australian Immunisation Handbook notes that COVID-19 can cause severe illness, particularly in older adults, including aged care residents, and in people with medical risk conditions. It adds that vaccination reduces the risk of severe disease and death, which is why keeping your doses current matters most as you get older.
Who gets a free dose
Under the new arrangements, the NIP covers:
- all adults aged 75 years and over, with two doses a year roughly six months apart
- adults aged 65 to 74: one dose each year
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 50 to 74: an annual dose
- adults aged 18 to 64 with severe immunocompromise: one yearly dose
Outside these groups, you can choose to buy a vaccine privately after talking it over with a health professional. Call us on (02) 4930 4442 to ask about the cost of a private dose.
Timing your next dose
The Department of Health says clinical recommendations are being finalised and the Handbook's COVID-19 chapter is being updated to match the change. The gap since your last dose, your age and any medical conditions all shape whether another one is due, so the pharmacist will check these with you on the day.
Separate trips for your winter vaccines are not necessary. The Handbook notes that studies demonstrate the safety of giving COVID-19 and influenza vaccines together, and COVID-19 vaccines can also be given with other vaccines if required. Pair it with your flu vaccine in Abermain in one visit.
Getting a COVID vaccine in Abermain
Walk up to the counter and ask for a COVID-19 vaccination. In the consultation area, the pharmacist confirms your eligibility, previous doses and allergies, and asks about any illness on the day. After the injection you stay close by for at least 15 minutes, as the Handbook's after-vaccination guidance recommends, so staff can act quickly if you react, and you should not drive or operate machinery in that time.
Each dose is reported to the Australian Immunisation Register, the national record of the vaccines people receive in Australia.
Checklist: photo ID, a Medicare card (if you have one), and details of past vaccinations.
COVID vaccination questions
Can my child have a COVID-19 vaccine at the pharmacy?
NSW pharmacists can vaccinate children from 5 years of age; younger children need to see a GP or another immunisation provider. Vaccine advice for children centres on those with medical conditions that raise their risk, so ask whether a dose suits your child.
How do I show proof of my vaccinations?
Services Australia can give you an immunisation history statement from the register, and you can add your COVID-19 and flu statement to a digital wallet on your phone. You do not need an international COVID-19 vaccination certificate to travel overseas.
Want to see what else we can vaccinate against? Visit our Abermain vaccinations hub.
Stay up to date with COVID-19
Come in to Abermain Chemist, 193 Cessnock Road, on a weekday. If you would like to be sure a pharmacist immuniser is free, give us a ring before you head over.