Vaccinations after testing Positive to COVID-19

People who have had COVID-19 can be vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine once they recover from the acute illness. There is no requirement to delay vaccination, however vaccination can be deferred for up to 4 months as past infection reduces the chance of reinfection for at least this amount of time.

Furthermore,

• If a patient tests positive for COVID-19 between their first and second doses, or between their second and booster dose, the patient should delay next dose until they have recovered from the acute illness.
• People with prolonged symptoms from COVID-19 beyond 4 months should be vaccinated on a case by case basis.
• Temporary exemption from COVID-19 vaccination are outlined as: Those with a confirmed PCR of SARS-CoV-2 infection can temporarily defer vaccination up until 4 months after the infection. The previous time frame for temporary exemptions was 6 months. ATAGI has decreased the timeframe due to the increased risk of re-infection with the Omicron variant, particularly for those who had a Delta variant infection in 2021.

More information is available in ATAGI's release on Expanded Guidance on temporary medical exemptions for COVID-19 vaccines and ATAGI’s most recent update following their weekly COVID-19 meeting.

You can also seek further advice from a specialist immunisation service if required.