Covid-19 global vaccination rates: Best and worst of the world
Countries around the world are dealing differently with the vaccination of their populations. We take a look at who is leading the race and how Australia stacks up against the rest of the globe.
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More than four million people around the world have died of Covid-19, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
Three countries account for more than a third of those deaths. The US, which has the highest number of fatalities at 606,000, accounts for 15 per cent of the total, followed by Brazil with 529,000 deaths, and India with 405,000 deaths.
Michael Toole, Professor of International Health at the Burnet Institute, has watched vaccine uptakes closely and explains how Australia stacks up against the rest of the world.
MONGOLIA: 54.2% fully vaccinated
With a population of 3.2m, Mongolia has had 130,000 cases and 643 deaths. It relies on the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine which is less effective against variants. Strict social distancing is still in place as the country experiences close to 2000 cases a day and 10 deaths.
CHINA: 15.5% fully vaccinated
The world’s most populous nation of 1.4bn was ground zero for the pandemic. With 91,966 cases officially recorded and 4636 deaths, the country claims there are only 418 current cases and no deaths recorded since April 2020.
“They are vaccinating 20 million a day, so it will go up quite quickly and when they have a cluster, they jump right on it. On (example was) in Guangzhou where they tested everyone in a week. They have amazing capacity to test, when there is a cluster they are right on it,” Prof Toole said.
INDONESIA: 5.2% fully vaccinated
The population of 270.6m has logged nearly 2.5m cases and almost 64,000 deaths. Currently seeing a massive wave of 34,000 cases a day with daily death rates in excess of 1000. Java and Bali, are in lockdown.
“It’s an unfolding disaster, with 40% testing positive rate, compared to 0.01% positive in NSW at the moment, said Prof Toole.
NEW ZEALAND: 10.4% fully vaccinated
Like Australia, New Zealand pursued a successful zero Covid strategy: 2764 cases, 26 deaths in a population of 5 million. Like Australia, it has a closed border and institutes hard lockdowns where cluster arise.
The travel bubble with Australia is now paused for visitors from NSW and Qld. They currently have zero cases in the community and 32 in hotel quarantine from returned citizens.
You legally must wear a face mask on public transport, domestic flights and taxi and ride-share drivers must also wear them. It is not compulsory, but strongly advised that passengers to wear them.
AUSTRALIA: 7.6% fully vaccinated
Population 25.3m with 30,905 cases and counting with the current Sydney outbreak. There have been 910 deaths, 820 from Victoria during that state’s second wave.
Australia’s previous zero Covid status was a golden vaccination opportunity missed due to the over reliance on AstraZeneca which was then only recommended for the over-60s, while limited supplies of Pfizer has slowed down vaccination rates.
The current outbreak in NSW is threatening to undo 18 months of hard work.
“The number of the people out during the infectious period is staying the same, or climbing. They are not on top of it. I think there was no alternative than to extend the lockdown,” Prof Toole said.
“I had hoped for a proper lockdown as we know them in Melbourne where you can’t go to Victoria’s Secret or Bunnings. You can drive from Cronulla to Parramatta and because they didn’t introduce those travel restrictions the cluster has moved from the eastern suburbs to the southwestern suburbs.”
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: 64.3% fully vaccinated
With 644,000 cases so far, and 1847 deaths, the UAE still has a daily average of 1700 cases.
The borders are open but all passengers travelling to Dubai from any point of origin must hold a negative Covid-19 PCR test certificate for a test taken no more than 72 hours before departure. Travellers from selected countries are require to take another test on arrival.
“UAE is one of the top vaccinated rates. They are at the top, but still reporting over 1000 – 2000 cases a day,” Prof Toole said.
“Dubai has never had a strict lockdown where Abu Dhabi has, Dubai depends on tourists and people coming in to party. UAE is using China’s Sinopharm vaccine and they found it was 86 per cent effective. (Now) they are finding it less effective against Delta strain, so they are introducing a third dose of Sinopharm or a booster of Pfizer at the end of the year.”
SEYCHELLES: 68.7% fully vaccinated
The island nation with a population just over 98,000, has a vaccination rate of 68.7 per cent.
In May daily cases hit a high of 1000 but as of July this had dropped back to 447 cases, with a total of 71 deaths from the 60,304 total cases. They have mostly used China’s Sinopharm vaccine which is less effective against the South African Beta variant.
“Seychelles has one of the highest rates and they are still recording around 200 cases a day mainly due to the Beta variant. When they opened their borders, most visitors came from South Africa, so that variant has spread, mostly among the unvaccinated,” Prof Toole said.
MALTA: 77.1% fully vaccinated
Malta has the highest vaccination rate in the world. With 77.1 per cent of its 502,653 residents vaccinated with the Pfizer jab, it hit a high infection rate of 3178 cases a day in March 2021 but now has just 110 active cases as vaccination rates rise.
There have been 30,700 total cases and 420 deaths but only one death per month since vaccination rates began to climb in May.
“Malta has basically eliminated the virus. They are about to launch their exit strategy,” Prof Toole said.
Restrictions still in place include: only six people may gather together in public spaces, only four households may gather in a private home, and mixing of households in strongly discouraged. Wearing of face masks is mandatory in all places.
BRAZIL: 13.3% fully vaccinated
18.9m cases and 539,000 deaths in a country of 211m 60,000 people a day are being infected, with 1500 deaths per day on average.
The country has suffered from poor leadership under President Jair Bolsonaro who has denied science and the seriousness of Covid-19 and refused lockdowns. The Brazilian P. 1 variant started here.
“They call him Trump-lite, he followed everything Trump did, he called it a mild flu and resisted lockdowns, but some of the states have overridden him. Day on day they have the highest death rate in the world,” said Prof Toole.
UK: 49.9% fully vaccinated
With a population of 67m, the UK has struggled with incomplete lockdowns leading to 4.99m cases and 128,000 deaths. Now Prime Minister Boris Johnson is scrapping all rules regarding face mask and social distancing despite expecting 50,000 to 100,000 new cases a day.
Living with the Delta variant will become the new norm as of July 19. Johnson said opening up was thanks to the success of the vaccine rollout in weakening the link between cases and deaths but that people should “reconcile” that there will be more deaths.
DENMARK: 37.2% vaccinated
With a population of 5.8m, the Nordic country has had 297,000 cases and 2538 deaths. Daily average cases are between 200 and 300, down from 3000 a day in December 2020. Everyone over 16 can get the vaccine and the preferred vaccine is Pfizer.
AstraZeneca was dropped in April after the clot risk was revealed although people can now voluntarily opt for it if they wish. Danes are required to carry face masks and to use them at large gatherings where it can be difficult to keep social distance and in situations where face-to-face contact is unavoidable for 15 minutes or more.
ITALY: 34.5% fully vaccinated
Italy’s 60.3m population was Europe’s hardest hit at the beginning of the pandemic. With 4.27m cases and almost 128,000 deaths, the second wave hit in December 2020 with 40,000-plus cases a day.
Case numbers are now down to 1000 a day, with 24 deaths still recorded daily.
In May, the Delta variant represented just 1% of cases but now accounts for 22%. Mandatory quarantine is required for most visitors after border closures lifted in January. Italy required face masks to be worn outdoors as well as indoors since October 2020 but dropped the law in late June.
FRANCE: 34.1% fully vaccinated
France’s population of 67m has seen 5.8m cases and 111,284 deaths. 57,000 daily cases were recorded in April and France is still recording 4000 cases a day and 34 deaths.
Restrictions have been lifted, but social distancing is still suggested and masks are required indoors and on public transport. The rules for travel to and from France depend on the country from which, or to which, you wish to travel, the reason for which you are travelling and your vaccination status.
CHILE: 57.3% fully vaccinated
With a population of 18.95m, there have been 1.58m cases and 33,514 deaths. Currently there are 1800 cases a day, down from 9000 cases a day in May.
More than 90 per cent of people are vaccinated with the CoronaVac Chinese vaccines which is not as effective as the Pfizer vaccine which only 7 per cent have received. The more transmissible Brazilian P1 variant is the problematic strain.
Careless behaviour during the vacations likely facilitated the virus’s spread experts say.
“At the beginning of the vaccine campaign there was a message from government that ‘vaccines are on their way so the pandemic will end soon’. Everyone stopped taking care, stopped wearing masks, and joined big crowds during the holiday season,” infectious diseases specialist at the University of Chile, Claudia Cortés, told the British Medical Journal.
MEXICO: 15.5% fully vaccinated
Mexico’s population of 127.6m has had 2.5m cases and 234,192 deaths. Daily cases are still about 8000, with 269 deaths. The US has just given Mexico excess Pfizer vaccines and they have been relying on COVAX provisions of AstraZeneca.
“They are doing better than South America, Brazil, Columbia and Peru,” Prof Toole said.
Masks must be worn at all times on public transport. A traffic light system reflecting case numbers means Mexico City has yellow restrictions where businesses can only operate at 75% capacity and orange restrictions allowing 50% capacity.
US: 47.1% fully vaccinated
The United States’ population of 328.2m has experienced the worst death rates in the world, with 622,000 deaths from 34.6m cases. Chaotic leadership under Donald Trump, who downplayed the severity of Covid-19 early on in the pandemic, has been counterbalanced by the development of the most effective mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna.
Death rates have dropped dramatically as vaccination rates rise but separate states are running their own race with devastating consequences, said Prof Toole.
“States like NY have opened up but they have very high vaccination rates. If you go further south they are in big trouble. Missouri is in trouble, and hospitals are at peak capacity, almost all with the Delta variant. That’s also happening in Utah, Texas, Louisiana states. They don’t get vaccinated and they refuse to wear masks.”
CANADA: 36.6% fully vaccinated
With a population of 37.5m. Canada has had 1.42m cases and 26,401 deaths. Current daily cases are about 440, down from a peak in April of 11,000 cases a day. Canada’s border is closed to most international travellers and provinces and territories have their own restrictions in place.
Those who are fully vaccinated, having waited 14 days since receiving a second dose, do not have to wear a mask in indoor public spaces in British Columbia for example.
“Canada is about to drop mandatory hotel quarantine for those fully vaccinated,” Prof Toole said.
“Masks have eased in most places and cases in Canada are way down.”
ISRAEL: 59.9% fully vaccinated
With a population of 9.05m, Israel has had 844,989 cases and 6432 deaths. Early on the country petitioned for access to Pfizer but the Delta variant has led to a surge of 300 cases a day.
All arrivals at Ben Gurion Airport are required to quarantine until receiving a negative Covid test result and masks indoors have been reimposed after a recent surge.
“Israel has one of the highest vaccination rates in the world and are now reporting 300 cases a day. They have re-mandated masks indoors,” Prof Toole said.
“They have found that Pfizer, which is all they have used, only has an efficacy of 64 per cent against Delta.”
INDIA: 4.8% fully vaccinated
Population 1.36bn with 30.7m cases and 405,000 deaths. India’s deadly second wave led to 400,000 cases a day in May and the country is now registering 45,000 cases a day, with daily deaths about 900.
“Finally they had a lockdown and increased testing and isolation. Their vaccination is accelerating but it is not to a level that you could say the decline is due to vaccination, so it’s other measures such as lockdown,” Prof Toole said.
JAPAN: 15.1% fully vaccinated
The population of 126.3m has had 812,089 cases and 14,812 deaths and is currently logging 1600 new cases a day. The Summer Olympics in Tokyo will be held without spectators, after a state of emergency was declared in the capital following a surge in cases, mostly the Delta variant. Bars and restaurants will be requested to suspend alcohol sales under the measures. The Japanese are avid mask wearers, but social distancing is difficult in the highly populous city centres.
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