2026 vaccination guidelines for GPs: influenza, RSV and COVID-19

28 April 2026

This article outlines the 2026 flu, RSV and COVID vaccination guidelines for GPs and Aboriginal Medical Service. It covers vaccine eligibility, ordering, timing and co-administration with other vaccines. Practices are encouraged to review the latest toolkits, prioritise high-risk groups and ensure all vaccinations are reported to the Australian Immunisation Register.

Influenza

NSW Health has provided the following information about the seasonal flu vaccination for general practices and Aboriginal Medical Services.

Key messages

influenza vaccination reduces the severity of influenza-related illness and risk of influenza-related hospitalisations and deaths
from April 2026, free influenza vaccines will be available to eligible people under the National Immunisation Program (NIP)
immunisation providers should prioritise children aged six months to under five years, Aboriginal people, pregnant women, people with an increased risk of complications from influenza, and people aged 65 years and over
the needle-free NSW Intranasal Influenza Vaccination Program will also be available for children aged two years to under five years this year
the annual NSW influenza vaccination webinar was held on 24 February 2026. A recording of the webinar is available
A Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) webinar recording is available to learn more about nasal spray influenza vaccine

NSW Health Winter Respiratory Vaccination Toolkit 2026

Of note, in 2026, the NSW Government is rolling out the NSW Nasal Spray Influenza Vaccination Program and funding FluMist®, a nasal spray influenza vaccine administered via nasal spray to children aged two, three and four years as a needle-free alternative. Nasal spray influenza vaccine will also be available in the private market for individuals aged two years to 17 years of age.

All pre-allocated FluMist® has been distributed to the relevant providers. You can now place an additional order for FluMist®.

Steps to place an order of FluMist®:

Log in to the NSW Vaccine Centre online ordering system
Press the button “Place influenza vaccine order 2026”
Input the quantity of FluMist® required (please note ordering for injectable influenza vaccine is unlimited)

As FluMist® has a 13 to 15 weeks shelf life, please closely monitor the expiry date of your stock regularly and before administering to your patients.

Eligibility and timing of vaccination

influenza vaccination is recommended for all people aged six months and over from mid-April to provide protection before the peak season takes place (June to September)
people at higher risk of serious influenza complications are eligible for free influenza vaccination under the NIP, including all children six months to under five years, Aboriginal people, pregnant women at any stage of pregnancy, people aged 65 years and over and people with chronic medical conditions attending your practice
more information about key at-risk groups and timing of vaccination is available in the ATAGI 2026 Statement on the Administration of Seasonal Influenza Vaccines

ATAGI 2026 Statement on the Administration of Seasonal Influenza Vaccines

Find more information on patients to target for funded vaccines, frequently asked questions and the optimum time for vaccination.

NSW Health – Eligibility for the influenza vaccine

Frequently asked questions about influenza vaccination for health professionals

Co-administration with other vaccines

influenza vaccines can be co-administered with most other vaccines, including Tpa, RSV, pneumococcal and COVID-19 vaccines. Refer to the Australian Immunisation Handbook for more information
as per the Australian Immunisation Handbook, Fluad Quad and Shingrix administration should be separated by a few days

Australian Immunisation Handbook

NCIRS guide to co-administration of vaccines for adults

Preparing your practice

read the NSW Health Winter Respiratory Vaccination Toolkit 2026
ensure your practice software can report vaccinations to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR). Reporting of all vaccinations is mandatory. Further information is available at PRODA (Provider Digital Access)
if not already registered, Aboriginal Medical Services will also need to complete the Australian Immunisation Register Application to Register as a Vaccination Provider
ensure your practice is registered for online vaccine ordering with the NSW Vaccine Centre. If you have not already registered for online ordering, find information on how to register

Find more information:

NSW Health Winter Respiratory Vaccination Toolkit 2026

PRODA (Provider Digital Access)

Australian Immunisation Register Application

NSW State Vaccine Centre

NSW Health – Register for online ordering

NSW Health – Influenza Vaccination Program: for immunisation providers

Vaccine storage

vaccines MUST be stored between +2°C to +8°C during storage and transport and stored in their original packaging at all times (to protect them from temperature fluctuations and UV light) in accordance with the National Vaccine Storage Guidelines ‘Strive for 5’

DoHDA – National Vaccine Storage Guidelines ‘Strive for 5’

NSW Health – Vaccine storage and cold chain management

All adverse events after vaccination should be reported to the South Western Sydney Local Health District Public Health Unit on 1300 066 055 or complete an adverse events following immunisation initial report form on the NSW Health website.

Localised influenza information for vaccination providers

HealthPathways South Western Sydney

NSW Health

2026 seasonal influenza vaccination information for immunisation providers

Resources for influenza vaccination providers

Phone your local Public Health Unit on 1300 066 055.

Other respiratory illnesses

NSW Health – NSW respiratory surveillance – COVID-19 and influenza

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes respiratory infections which can affect the nose, throat and breathing passages including the lungs. Those most at risk of severe illness include babies and young children, and older adults, especially those with chronic heart or lung disease or weakened immune systems.

Most RSV infections in NSW happen in late autumn and winter.

Anyone who wants to protect themselves against RSV can talk to their health professional about getting vaccinated.

The Australian Immunisation Handbook recommends RSV vaccination for specific groups including:

pregnant women at 28 to 36 weeks of pregnancy
people aged 75 years and older and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 60 years and older
people with medical risk factors for severe RSV disease aged 60 years and older

RSV monoclonal antibodies are recommended for:

young infants up to eight months of age whose mothers did not receive RSV vaccine in pregnancy, or who were vaccinated less than two weeks before delivery
young infants up to eight months of age who are at increased risk of severe RSV disease, regardless of their mother’s vaccination status
children aged eight months to under two years who have medical risk factors for severe RSV disease in their second RSV season

The maternal RSV vaccine (Abrysvo^®) is free under the National Immunisation Program (NIP) and is recommended for women at 28 to 36 weeks pregnancy (prior to 37 weeks) to protect their baby.

NSW Health advice: Changes to ordering of nirsevimab 50mg | 2026 RSV maternal and infant immunisation program

From 15 May 2026, RSV vaccines will be funded through the NIP for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 60 years and over, and adults aged 75 years and over.

NSW Health advice: Older adults will be eligible for RSV vaccine (Arexvy®) under the NIP

Australian Immunisation Handbook recommendations for specific groups

Australian Immunisation Handbook – Conditions associated with increased risk of severe RSV disease in adults

COVID-19

Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) has provided the following advice on COVID-19 vaccine administration.

Key points:

vaccination remains an important measure to protect those at risk of severe disease from COVID-19
all adults are eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine every 12 months
adults aged 75 years and over, including aged care residents, have the highest risk of severe COVID-19 including death, and are recommended to receive COVID-19 vaccines every six months
COVID-19 vaccines can be co-administered with any other vaccine for people aged five years and over
all vaccinations must be recorded on the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR)