Vaccination programs

Health and Medical Services at Nathan and Gold Coast campuses are approved vaccination providers for COVID-19 vaccines. We are happy to help provide COVID-19 immunisation for all Griffith staff and students and the wider community.

Check your eligibility and book your COVID-19 vaccination appointment

COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters are voluntary, free and available for all Griffith staff and students, their family and friends. You can check your eligibility and find details of community vaccination clinics by completing the questions on the Australian Government's Vaccine Clinic Finder.

To book directly with the Health and Medical Service, you can call us on (07) 5552 8734 (Gold Coast) or (07) 3735 7299 (Nathan) and make appointments to get your first, second or booster doses of the vaccine.

If you need phone or on-site interpreting, call the Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450.

Griffith Health and Medical Services are able to provide COVID-19 vaccines as follows:

Pfizer vaccinations for people 18+

• For people 18–29 years: first and second doses are available at Nathan and Gold Coast campuses. Booster recommended three months after primary course.
• For people 30–49 years: first and second doses doses are available at Nathan and Gold Coast campuses. Booster recommended three months after primary course; fourth dose from three months after booster.
• For people 50+ years: first and second doses are available at Nathan and Gold Coast campuses. Booster recommended three months after primary course; fourth dose from three months after booster.

Pfizer vaccinations for under 18s

• For people 12–15 years: first and second doses are available at Nathan and Gold Coast campuses. Booster not currently recommended.
• For people 16–17 years: first and second doses are available at Nathan and Gold Coast campuses. Booster (Pfizer only) recommended three months after primary course.

Novavax vaccinations for people 18+

Novavax vaccines are available at Nathan and Gold Coast campuses for people 18 years and over and can only be used as a booster if no other COVID-19 vaccine is suitable.

Moderna Bivalent vaccinations for people 18+

Moderna bivalent vaccines are now available at Nathan and Gold Coast campuses and are recommended as another option for booster doses only for people aged 18 years or older.

AstraZeneca vaccinations for people 18+

For people aged under 60 years, AstraZeneca (Vaxzevria) COVID-19 vaccine can still be used if:

• you have already received your first dose without any serious side effects
• the benefits are likely to outweigh the risks for you
• you have made an informed decision based on an understanding of the risks and benefits.

For people aged 60 years and over, this is based both on the increased risk of complications from COVID-19 with increasing age (and thus increased benefit of vaccination) and the potentially lower risk of the rare side effect Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS) with increasing age.

Learn more about COVID-19 vaccines, booster doses and other vaccine clinics from the Australian Government's COVID-19 Vaccines site.

Getting ready for your appointment

Please do not come to your vaccination appointment if you are:

• feeling unwell with fever, or have a cough or runny nose or other symptoms that could be from COVID-19
• waiting for COVID-19 test results, or have tested positive for COVID-19
• a close contact of someone with COVID-19
• in isolation or quarantine.

If you have had another vaccine in the seven days before your COVID-19 vaccine appointment, please let us know as we may need to reschedule your appointment.

If you cannot make it to your vaccination appointment, please contact us to arrange a new appointment.

After your vaccination

The Department of Health has developed resources about what you can expect after your vaccination:

After receiving any vaccine, you may experience minor side effects. Most side effects are mild and last no more than a few days.

Common reactions to COVID-19 vaccinations include:

• a sore arm
• headache
• muscle pain
• fever and chills
• feeling unwell
• nausea
• tiredness
• joint pain.

Some people will have more significant flu-like symptoms from this vaccination compared to other vaccines and may require time away from normal activities. These symptoms are more common after the first dose of AstraZeneca vaccine than the second dose.

You should seek medical attention immediately if you experience these symptoms:

• a severe persistent headache that:
  • appears at least four days after vaccination
  • does not improve with simple painkillers
  • may be worse when lying down or accompanied by nausea and vomiting
• neurological symptoms such as:
  • blurred vision
  • difficulty with speech
  • drowsiness
  • seizures
• shortness of breath or chest pain
• a swollen leg
• persistent abdominal (belly) pain
• tiny blood spots under the skin away from the site of injection together with symptoms above.

You can use the COVID-19 vaccine side effects symptom checker if you have concerns about any symptoms after your vaccine. The checker is also available through the National Coronavirus Helpline, 1800 020 080, 24 hours a day.

Who to contact

You can ask your doctor for specific advice about side effects. Please call us if you would like to book an appointment.

If you think a COVID-19 vaccine has caused a side effect, you can report it. Reports of suspected side effects help the Therapeutic Goods Administration monitor COVID-19 vaccine safety.

Health and Medical Services- Gold Coast can report side effects to the TGA on your behalf, or you can report your side effects yourself. Visit the TGA website to find out how.

Further information

Having a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine available for everyone in Australia will help protect you, your family and your community from coronavirus.

To find out more about COVID-19 vaccines, visit the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care website.

2023 influenza vaccines have arrived. Please contact the Health and Medical Service to arrange an appointment.

Allianz OSHC Free Flu Vaccinations

For the past three years Allianz OSHC continue to support International Students Health & Wellbeing Initiatives at Griffith University.  One of these initiatives is to provide international students free flu vaccines. We encourage international students to book an appointment at Nathan or Gold Coast, Health & Medical Service to receive their free flu vaccine.

Annual flu vaccinations

The annual influenza vaccination continues to be the most important measure to prevent influenza and its complications. Influenza vaccinations are now available from Health and Medical Services at Gold Coast and Nathan campuses. Please contact your preferred location to book an appointment.

Vaccination consent form

Complete the influenza vaccination consent form prior to your appointment.

Who is eligible for government-funded vaccines?

Influenza vaccines are funded under the state and national immunisation programs for the following groups due to their increased risk of complications from influenza:

• all children from six months to less than five years of age (state funded)
• pregnant women at any stage of pregnancy (influenza and whooping cough vaccination can be given at the same time OR at different times during pregnancy). More information about whooping cough and influenza vaccination for pregnant women is available
• all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged six months and over
• individuals aged six months to under 65 years with medical conditions which increase the risk of influenza disease complications (for a full list, go to NCIRS Influenza Vaccines Fact Sheet).

Planning a trip? You can get appropriate vaccinations (if needed for your destination) for usually just the cost of the vaccine itself. Both the Nathan and Gold Coast Health and Medical Service offer a range of travel vaccinations and the Gold Coast campus is Yellow Fever accredited.

You will need to see a doctor at least six weeks prior to departure. Make sure you bring all immunisation records to your appointment. These include immunisation history or baby book records, travel vaccination booklets and previous serology test results.

Be sure to check out the Smart Traveller website prior to leaving for helpful hints and tips about travelling.

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