Only people with a referral from the Victorian Specialist Immunisation Services (VICSIS) will be offered an alternative vaccine.

Your GP can not provide you with a letter to receive Pfizer instead of AstraZeneca.

COVID-19 vaccination clinics have been directed by the Commonwealth Government as to when people become eligible for vaccination, and which type of vaccine they can be offered.

The AstraZeneca vaccine remains the first option for people aged 50 years and over.

If you are concerned about your medical history and think you may require a different vaccine, your GP must send a referral to the Victorian Specialist Immunisation Services (VICSIS).

VICSIS reviews referrals and provides approval for an alternative vaccine where a patient meets the following criteria:

• Past history of Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis (CVST) or heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT)
• Past history of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS)
• Anaphylaxis to polysorbate 80 (a component of AstraZeneca vaccine)
• Anaphylaxis to a previous dose of AstraZeneca vaccine

Victorian State Government clinics (including the Ballarat Health Services’ vaccination clinic) cannot accept letters from General Practitioners. They can only accept letters from VICSIS.

Further information is available at https://mvec.mcri.edu.au/covid-19/

Find out more about our vaccination clinic