Lexi Webster
Australia's COVID-19 vaccination program began on 22 February 2021, with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. The country aimed to vaccinate all willing people before 2022, with front-line workers and aged care staff and residents first in line. As of 3 August 2022, Australia had administered over 62 million vaccine doses. However, the rollout faced criticism for its slow pace and setbacks, such as the need to re-evaluate the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine due to vaccine-related blood clotting. By late 2021, two-dose coverage in adults exceeded 95%, but by December 2022, uptake had slowed, with lower levels of two-dose coverage in children aged 5-15.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of the start of the vaccination program | 22 February 2021 |
| Number of vaccine doses administered as of 3 August 2022 | 62,492,656 |
| Vaccines approved for use in Australia | Pfizer–BioNTech, Oxford–AstraZeneca, Janssen, Moderna, Comirnaty (Pfizer), Spikevax (Moderna), Nuvaxovid (Novavax) |
| Initial priority groups for vaccination | Front-line workers, aged care staff and residents, people 50 years or older |
| Timeline setbacks | Medical advice discouraging the AstraZeneca vaccine for under-50s due to blood clotting |
| Vaccination coverage as of December 4, 2022 | 2 doses: 95% in adults, 52.1% in children aged 5-15, boosters: 72.4% (dose 3) and 44.3% (dose 4) in adults |
| Changes in federal government vaccine data reporting | Ended reports of 2nd, 3rd, and 4th doses from 31 March 2023; page updates will cease from 1 September 2023 |
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What You'll Learn
COVID-19 vaccination rates by state
As of 3 August 2022, Australia had administered 62,492,656 vaccine doses across the country. Over 95% of the population aged 12 and above are fully vaccinated.
The COVID-19 vaccination rollout in Australia was initially criticised for its slow pace and late start, which fell far below the initial government targets. However, the country soon picked up the pace and even overtook the United States in terms of first-dose coverage by 10 October 2021.
On 15 September 2021, New South Wales (NSW) became the first state in Australia to have 80% of its population with at least one vaccine dose. By 17 September 2021, 50% of the population aged 16 and above in NSW had received two vaccine doses. On 26 September 2021, 60% of eligible residents of NSW became fully vaccinated, with 85% having received a single dose. On 7 October 2021, 70% of eligible NSW residents aged 16 and over became fully vaccinated, with 90% having received at least one dose. On 16 October 2021, 80% of eligible state residents in NSW were fully vaccinated, with a single-dose vaccination rate of 91.9%.
On 22 February 2021, the first COVID-19 vaccinations in the Northern Territory (NT) were administered to "at-risk frontline workers" using the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. By 13 June 2021, 25 general practices and 3 respiratory clinics were delivering vaccinations across the territory. By the same date, the Queensland Health Department was delivering vaccines under phases 1a, 1b, and 2a (people aged over 40) in the state.
By 5 September 2021, 40% of the NSW population was fully vaccinated. On 27 September 2021, a three-stage roadmap to come out of lockdown was announced by then-Premier Gladys Berejiklian, with freedoms for vaccinated and unvaccinated people. All three stages depended on reaching double-dose vaccination rates of 70%, 80%, and 90%.
As of 6 November 2021, Australia was in the "Vaccination Consolidation Phase" (Phase Three). The federal governments and all states and territories had agreed in principle to the updated plan. The percentage of the fully vaccinated eligible population required to transition into the second phase (Phase B) is 70%, and 80% for the third phase (Phase C).
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COVID-19 vaccine safety
Australia's COVID-19 vaccination program began on 22 February 2021, with the Pfizer–BioNTech vaccine. The AstraZeneca vaccine was also approved for use in February 2021, and the Moderna and Janssen vaccines were approved later in 2021. However, the Janssen vaccine was not included in the Australian vaccination program as of June 2021.
The Australian government aimed to vaccinate all willing people in Australia before 2022, with front-line workers, aged care staff, and residents being the first priority. As of 3 August 2022, Australia had administered 62,492,656 vaccine doses across the country.
To ensure the ongoing safety of COVID-19 vaccines, AusVaxSafety is conducting active vaccine safety surveillance of the vaccines in use in Australia. AusVaxSafety provides safety data on the Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna, and Novavax COVID-19 vaccines. The Australian government also recommends that individuals discuss COVID-19 vaccine options with their healthcare providers and make informed choices based on credible information.
The Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) is used to record all COVID-19 vaccinations administered in the country, including data on the vaccination date, brand, and dose number. This mandatory reporting helps track the uptake of vaccinations and monitor the impact of the vaccine rollout.
While the initial vaccination rollout faced criticism for its slow pace, Australia has made significant progress in vaccinating its population. By late 2021, more than 95% of adults in Australia had received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. However, by December 2022, uptake had slowed, particularly among children aged 5 to 15 years, with 52.1% receiving two doses. Regular COVID-19 vaccinations, or boosters, are recommended to maintain protection against severe illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19, especially for those aged 65 and above or at higher risk.
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COVID-19 vaccination rates in residential aged care facilities
COVID-19 vaccination is strongly encouraged for residents in aged care homes in Australia. Vaccination remains the most effective protection against severe illness, hospitalisation, and death from COVID-19. Aged care homes are responsible for ensuring their residents are offered the opportunity to receive a COVID-19 vaccination. If a resident has not yet received any dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, they can ask their aged care home to organise their vaccination.
The Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing provides data on COVID-19 vaccination rates of aged care residents by facility across Australia over the past 12 months, using data from the Australian Immunisation Register. To protect the personal information of individuals, a facility's resident vaccination rate is displayed within a range (e.g. 90-100%). Larger percentage bands are used when reporting vaccination rates for residential aged care facilities with 10 or fewer residents. As of 31 December 2023, 184,347 (98.3%) of aged care residents could be linked to their vaccination records.
The general COVID-19 vaccination program in Australia began on 22 February 2021, with front-line workers, aged care staff, and residents receiving priority for inoculation. The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) approved four vaccines for Australian use in 2021: Pfizer–BioNTech, Oxford–AstraZeneca, Janssen, and Moderna. As of 3 August 2022, Australia had administered 62,492,656 vaccine doses across the country.
The rollout of the vaccination program initially faced criticism for its slow pace and late start, falling short of the government's initial targets. On 21 February 2021, the day before the official program start date, Prime Minister Scott Morrison and a small group of aged care staff and residents became the first Australians to receive the Pfizer–BioNTech vaccine. This early vaccination was heavily televised to reassure Australians about the quality, efficacy, and safety of COVID-19 vaccines.
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COVID-19 vaccine uptake by infection status
COVID-19 vaccine uptake in Australia reached >95% coverage with two doses in adults by late 2021. However, by December 4, 2022, the uptake had slowed, with lower levels of two doses among children aged 5-15 years (52.1%) and boosters for adults (72.4% for dose 3 and 44.3% for dose 4).
A study examining COVID-19 vaccine uptake by infection status in New South Wales, Australia, found that vaccine coverage was considerably lower among infected persons compared to uninfected persons across all ages. The study aimed to understand the impact of a history of infection on perceptions of protection against and the risk of future infection. It also calculated the cumulative percentages of participants receiving the next recommended vaccine dose by infection status and time after the current dose.
The study used data from the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) and COVID-19 notifications for residents aged 5 years and above living in the Greater Sydney Metropolitan and Hunter New England areas of New South Wales as of January 1, 2022. Reporting COVID-19 vaccinations and positive COVID-19 test results was mandatory during the study period, which ended on May 29, 2022.
The study found that vaccine uptake was most rapid and reached the highest levels among uninfected participants. However, it is important to note that the distribution by infection status varied by cohort, and ongoing monitoring of vaccination uptake and timely linkage to infection status are necessary to understand the gaps between SARS-CoV-2 population immunity and vaccine recommendations.
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COVID-19 vaccination rates by age group
Australia's COVID-19 vaccination program began on February 22, 2021, with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. The initial goal was to vaccinate all willing Australians before 2022, with front-line workers, aged care staff, and residents being prioritized. However, the rollout faced criticism for its slow pace and late start, falling short of the government's targets.
As of August 3, 2022, Australia had administered over 62 million vaccine doses. The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) approved four vaccines for use in 2021: Pfizer-BioNTech, Oxford-AstraZeneca, Janssen, and Moderna. The Janssen vaccine, however, was not included in the initial vaccination program.
Regarding vaccination rates by age group, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation advised reserving the Pfizer vaccine for those under 50. On August 19, 2021, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that adults aged 16-39 would be eligible for the Pfizer vaccine from August 30, 2021. On December 5, 2021, the TGA approved the Pfizer vaccine for children aged 5-11, with vaccinations planned to start on January 10, 2022.
The Pfizer vaccine was also made available for immunocompromised children aged 12-15. In Victoria, by September 17, 2021, 70% of the eligible population aged 16 and above had received at least one dose. As of June 10, 2021, people aged 30 and above, as well as those aged 16 and above in specific groups, were eligible for vaccination.
Data from New South Wales as of December 4, 2022, shows that while more than 95% of adults had received two doses by late 2021, uptake slowed for subsequent doses. Among children aged 5-15, only 52.1% had received two doses, and booster uptake among adults was 72.4% for the third dose and 44.3% for the fourth.
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Frequently asked questions
As of 3 August 2022, Australia had administered 62,492,656 vaccine doses across the country.
The goal was to vaccinate all willing people in Australia before 2022.
No. The rollout faced criticism for its slow pace and late start, falling far below initial government targets.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) approved four vaccines for Australian use in 2021: Pfizer–BioNTech, Oxford–AstraZeneca, Janssen, and Moderna.
