Supporting COVID-19 vaccination safety and reporting

• Over 36.8 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have now been administered to Australians (as at 7 November 2021).
• Four COVID-19 vaccines now have provisional approval for use in Australia – the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine (COMIRNATY), the COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccine (Vaxzevria), COVID-19 Vaccine Janssen and the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, Spikevax (elasomeran). The Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Moderna vaccines are part of Australia's national vaccine rollout.
• Current data suggests the majority of side effects being reported are mild and short-lived.
• Reporting side effects helps build better knowledge about the vaccines and improves how they continue to be used.
• As COVID-19 vaccines are rolled out, it is natural for people to have questions about how these fit with their regular medicines and healthcare routines.
  

The AME Line is for members of the general public to call if they think a medicine or vaccine is causing a problem and they are worried about it. The call is answered by an NPS MedicineWise pharmacist. The pharmacist will ask questions to better understand the concerns and advise if it is necessary to seek further care from a nurse, doctor or other medical service.

All medicine-related side effects are reported back to the Therapeutic Goods Administration. This information contributes to a more accurate understanding of a medicine or vaccine safety profile.

Contacting the AME Line

Call 1300 134 237 from anywhere in Australia.  Monday–Sunday 8am–8pm AEDT/AEST (including public holidays).

Please note that the AME Line is not for emergencies

If you have concerns about your medicines arising from an overdose or suspected poisoning, call the Poisons Information Centre, 24 hours a day on 13 11 26. 

For general emergencies call 000.

Read more about the AME Line

COVID-19 vaccinations are an important part of the national strategy to protect our health during the current pandemic and into the future.

As with other vaccines, some people may experience mild and temporary side effects after a COVID-19 vaccination.

This article explains what to expect, how to manage any symptoms, how to report side effects and why reporting them is an important part of ensuring the safety of all vaccines, including the COVID-19 vaccine.

Read the full article

This year, with all the focus on the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, it’s easy to forget about another important vaccine – your annual flu jab. It is important to take action to be protected against both of these potentially severe infections.

• What do we know about influenza in 2021?
• Will the flu vaccination protect me from getting COVID-19?
• How should I time the COVID-19 vaccine with the influenza vaccine?

Read the full article

The development of an effective vaccine for COVID-19 has been a global public health challenge. The race continues to manufacture and distribute vaccines that are effective and safe, and readily available to billions of people.

• Australia's COVID-19 vaccine rollout
• Information for COVID-19 vaccination providers
• TGA information for reporting side effects
  
• AusVaxSafety
• National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance

Learn more about COVID-19 vaccines

• Australian Government Department of Health COVID-19 vaccines hub
• TGA COVID-19 vaccines hub 
• RACGP COVID-19 vaccine resources
• National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce: caring for people with COVID-19
  

• Australian Government information about COVID-19 vaccines
• healthdirect information about COVID-19 vaccinations
• COVID-19 vaccine information translated into community languages
• COVID-19 vaccine clinic finder
• Vaccine side effect checker
• FAQs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people about influenza vaccination and COVID-19
• What is herd immunity? The science behind vaccination