Given that Health is usually a Stare Government portfolio matter, this will come down to the state health departments. WA has an annual vaccine programme for the flu, I've been getting both Flu and Covid boosters every year for the last 3-4 years. I didn't realise the federal government has been covering the Covid one all this time. I thought the state paid for both.

It sounds like the Covid Vaccine is moving away from the federal health department. That doesn't mean the states (or some of them at least) might not pick up the tab. So 'Australians could lose access to the free vaccine' in some cases. But the article doesn't specify which Australians, because they don't know. It doesn't come right out and say Australians will lose access to the free vaccine either - because again, they don't actually know.

I hate articles like this. Ambiguous wording leading to probable fearmongering.