The Federal Government is broadening its COVID-19 vaccine injury compensation scheme, lowering the financial threshold to $1000 and relaxing the rule that patients must have been hospitalised overnight.

However, it has warned patients that claims for decreased appetite, angioedema, influenza-like illness or ‘psychiatric conditions’ allegedly linked to vaccination will be rejected.

The compensation scheme was introduced to dissuade patients from suing GPs over adverse events, protecting GPs from the legal process and their medical defence organisations from the cost of potential payouts.

More than 10,000 patients have lodged ‘expressions of interest’ in making a claim.