Tasmanians aged 18 and over will be able to get their booster shot three months from the date of their second dose of vaccine, from Tuesday February 1.
The new three-month booster interval will be cut from the current four-month interval in line with advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisations (ATAGI).
This means about 66,000 more Tasmanians will become eligible for a booster shot and be able to increase their immunity against COVID-19.
Already nearly 145,000 Tasmanians have had a booster, or more than a third of people aged 18 and over.
However, it’s also a timely reminder that there are still 60,000 people aged 50 and over who haven’t had their booster, leaving them more vulnerable to the potentially serious effects of COVID.
We’ve seen from the experience in other countries and across the world that the booster is the best way to strengthen your immunity and continue protecting yourself, your family and the community against the Omicron variant.
Now is not the time to be complacent.
I want to encourage all Tasmanians to check when they had their second dose of the vaccine and when that three month milestone arrives, I urge them to please book that booster.
Thousands of booster appointments are available in state-run vaccination centres across Tasmania including at ongoing clinics in Burnie, Devonport, Hobart and Launceston.
Bookings are also available at pharmacies and GPs who are doing a phenomenal job administering boosters in record numbers.
In the last two weeks pharmacies and GPs have delivered 55,000 vaccinations – by far the highest number since the start of the rollout.
For more information on booking a booster, visit www.coronavirus.tas.gov.au/vaccine or call the Public Health Hotline on 1800 671 738.