Leslie Massey
Australia has had a successful COVID-19 vaccination program, with 94.6% of people aged 16 and over receiving two doses of the vaccine by March 2022. However, there are still pockets of the country with low vaccination rates, particularly in remote and Indigenous communities. There has also been some vaccine hesitancy among Australians, with concerns about safety and side effects being common barriers to vaccination. Despite these challenges, Australia's COVID-19 vaccination program has been effective in managing the pandemic, and the country was ranked 14th globally in terms of vaccination coverage at the start of 2022.
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What You'll Learn
COVID-19 vaccination coverage
Australia's COVID-19 vaccination program has faced challenges, including issues with obtaining vaccines, changing advice, and timeline revisions. However, by early 2022, the country had achieved high vaccination coverage, with 92-94.6% of people aged 16 years and over having received two doses. Despite this impressive overall figure, there were significant inequalities in coverage among certain subgroups, such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples (76.6%) and NDIS participants (86.1%). These disparities pose a risk to individual and population immunity.
The vaccination coverage in Australia varied across different regions. Some areas, like pockets of Victoria's Great Ocean Road, a Queensland border town, Hobart, and Darwin, achieved high vaccination rates, while other regions, such as Melbourne, lagged behind. The choice of vaccines also played a role in the overall coverage, with changing recommendations for different age groups and specific vaccines, such as Pfizer and AstraZeneca, impacting the public's perception and acceptance.
The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) provides recommendations on vaccine use. As of July 2021, they advised that the AstraZeneca vaccine is preferred for those aged 60 and above, while the Pfizer vaccine is recommended for those under 60. Additionally, Pfizer is suggested for individuals with specific medical histories, such as cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) or deep vein thrombosis. These recommendations are based on the risk of thrombotic thrombocytopenic syndrome (TTS) being higher in younger adults.
To address vaccine hesitancy, particularly among specific groups like people who inject drugs, targeted interventions are necessary. Peer-driven initiatives have proven effective in improving health outcomes in this community. Providing information about vaccine safety and utility can help build trust and encourage vaccination. Overall, Australia's COVID-19 vaccination coverage has been successful, but ongoing efforts are required to reach all segments of the population and ensure equitable access and acceptance.
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Vaccine hesitancy
Australia had high COVID-19 vaccination coverage at the start of 2022, ranking 14th globally for the proportion of the population vaccinated. By March 2022, 94.6% of people aged 16 and over had received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Despite this, vaccine hesitancy remains a significant issue in Australia, threatening the country's ability to achieve herd immunity and reopen its international borders.
Several factors have contributed to vaccine hesitancy in Australia. One key factor is the concern over the safety of the AstraZeneca vaccine, particularly due to reports of blood clotting. The change in recommendations by the Commonwealth government, advising people under 50 to receive the Pfizer vaccine instead of AstraZeneca due to the risk of TTS, may have also played a role in increasing vaccine hesitancy.
Another factor is the perception of low risk and complacency, particularly in states like Queensland and Western Australia, which have avoided large outbreaks by closing their borders. The Melbourne Institute's vaccine hesitancy tracker found that Queensland consistently had the highest vaccine hesitancy rates in the country, with 14.2% of its population hesitant to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
The success of Australia's vaccination program and the achievement of herd immunity depend on addressing vaccine hesitancy, particularly in priority groups such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, who have lower vaccination coverage. Strategies to engage and persuade hesitant populations are crucial to ensuring the protection of individuals and the population as a whole.
Furthermore, vaccine hesitancy is not limited to the general population but also affects specific subgroups. For example, people with disabilities and long-term health conditions, who are at higher risk of severe disease or death from COVID-19, have similar vaccination coverage to the general population, leaving them vulnerable. Addressing vaccine hesitancy in these subgroups is essential to protect their health and well-being.
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Vaccination rates in wealthy vs poor areas
Australia has seen an overall increase in national vaccination rates in recent years. However, there are still pockets of low vaccination rates in both wealthy and poor suburbs. Melbourne, for instance, has some of the lowest vaccination rates in the country, with 10 to 20% of one-year-old babies in the CBD, Albert Park, Middle Park, and Brighton remaining unvaccinated. Similarly low rates are seen in lower-income suburbs like Sunshine, Glenroy, Broadmeadows, Fawkner, and Dandenong. These low vaccination rates put residents at risk of potentially fatal disease outbreaks.
The reasons for low vaccination rates vary between wealthy and poor areas. In wealthy suburbs, some well-educated individuals may not trust doctors and vaccines, despite reliable evidence of their benefits and minimal risks. These individuals may instead follow the guidance of naturopaths and chiropractors and reject conventional medical treatments. On the other hand, parents in poorer areas may struggle to get their children vaccinated due to difficulties accessing services or a lack of transportation.
The disparities in vaccination rates between wealthy and poor areas contribute to broader health inequalities in Australia. For instance, residents in low socioeconomic status areas of Sydney, Australia's most populous city, have a life expectancy up to 19 years less than those in affluent areas. This gap is evident in health indicators such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease death rates, which are consistently higher in poorer areas. Childhood obesity rates in Sydney's western municipalities, for example, are nearly double those of wealthier northern suburbs.
To address these disparities, the Australian government has implemented initiatives such as the "no jab, no pay" and "no jab, no play" rules. The former excludes families with unvaccinated children from certain welfare and childcare payments, while the latter requires children to be vaccinated to attend childcare and kindergarten. Additionally, the Victorian Government has launched the VaxOnTime app to help parents remember their children's vaccination schedules.
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Vaccination of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
Australia entered 2022 with almost 92% of its population aged over 16 double vaccinated against COVID-19. However, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have higher rates of some vaccine-preventable diseases than non-Indigenous persons. As a result, the Australian government provides extra vaccines for free through the National Immunisation Program (NIP).
The additional vaccines offered are in addition to the routine vaccinations offered throughout life, including during pregnancy, childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. For instance, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander infants and children receive routine childhood vaccinations. Adolescents are funded to receive the annual influenza vaccine, and adults can receive influenza, pneumococcal, and shingles vaccines. Pregnant women can get the influenza, whooping cough, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccines for free.
In the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), the government funds additional vaccines to protect Indigenous communities from influenza, pneumococcal disease, and meningococcal B infection. The flu vaccine is recommended and free for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples aged 6 months and older. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are eligible for the meningococcal B vaccine at 2, 4, and 12 months and can receive the Tuberculosis vaccine if they are 5 or under. Additionally, those born during or after 1966 should get the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccination if they haven't had two doses already.
The recommendations and funding for additional vaccines for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples vary across states, depending on the local disease burden. It is important for individuals to stay up to date with their vaccinations and consult their health professional or Aboriginal health worker about their specific needs.
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Vaccination for pregnant women
As of March 2022, Australia has a high COVID-19 vaccination rate, with 94.6% of people aged 16 and over having received two doses of the vaccine. However, this rate is lower in certain high-risk subgroups, such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples (76.6%) and National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participants (86.1%).
Pregnant women in Australia have advocated to be considered a priority group for COVID-19 vaccinations. While the risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19 is significantly higher for pregnant women and their unborn babies, most pregnant women in Australia were initially ineligible for vaccinations. In June 2021, experts from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) recommended that pregnant women be offered the Pfizer mRNA vaccine at any stage of pregnancy. However, the federal government did not immediately change the vaccine eligibility criteria to include pregnant women as a priority group.
In terms of non-COVID-19 vaccinations, pregnant women in Australia are recommended to receive the influenza vaccine. Pregnant women are more vulnerable to severe morbidity or mortality from influenza, and vaccination is an essential strategy to protect both the mother and infant. The influenza vaccine has been freely available for all pregnant women under the National Immunisation Program since 2010. However, vaccine uptake remains suboptimal, with estimates ranging from 39% to 76% across Australian states and territories.
Additionally, South Australia has announced plans to offer pregnant women an RSV vaccine starting in 2025. The Abrysvo vaccine is a protein subunit vaccine that targets the RSV F protein. It leads to the production of antibodies that cross the placenta, protecting the newborn against RSV in the first few months of life.
In summary, while Australia has a high COVID-19 vaccination rate overall, there have been calls for better inclusion and access for specific subgroups, including pregnant women. Pregnant women in Australia now have improved access to COVID-19 vaccines, and non-COVID-19 vaccinations, such as influenza and RSV vaccines, are also recommended and available for this vulnerable group.
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Frequently asked questions
94.6% of people aged 16 and over had received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.
The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is the preferred vaccine for people under 60.
The AstraZeneca vaccine is the preferred vaccine for people over 60.
Some reasons for vaccine hesitancy in Australia include safety concerns, fear of side effects, and the perception of low risk of disease acquisition.
