NSW Covid vaccine booster rates by LGA revealed

New data shows the NSW areas with the best and worst Covid vaccine booster rates. See how your LGA stacks up.

NSW has the nation’s lowest Covid booster uptake among eligible adults, as experts warn confusion and complacency among those who have had Omicron risks the state’s recovery.

Only 43.71 per cent of NSW residents aged over 18 who are at least four months post-second Covid-19 vaccine dose have had a booster as of January 30, according to data obtained by The Daily Telegraph.

Health experts and government officials are concerned the high Omicron caseload in NSW over the summer has derailed the booster rollout, prompting calls for a “clear message” about the need for a third jab even after infection.

NSW has the lowest booster take up rate among eligible adults. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

Premier Dominic Perrottet hit back at the low booster rate, arguing it is a result of the state’s overall high vaccination rate.

“We also have one of the highest vaccination rates in the country, which means naturally more people were eligible,” he said.

“Secondly, a number of people have had Covid. We need to make it clear that if you’ve had Covid, it’s four to six weeks later that you get that booster.”

Nationally the booster take up rate is 51.62 per cent, with states like Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia well above this average, and even Victoria managing 49.33 per cent despite also having high case numbers.

The NSW local government area (LGA) with the lowest booster rate was Bogan with just 27.58 per cent, while other remote regions including Cobar, Parkes, Inverell, Narromine and Cessnock are also languishing below 35 per cent.

The LGA with the highest rate of boosted eligible adults was Walcha, with Mosman, Woollahra, Ku-ring-gai, Lane Cove and Inner West also in the top 10.

When asked about the rollout, NSW Health provided their own statewide figure of 44.7 per cent for the booster take up, which is still well below the national average.

Less than half of NSW adults eligible for a booster have had one so far. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

Asked to clarify the preferred timing of a booster shot post-Covid infection, deputy chief medical officer Professor Michael Kidd on Monday said the official advice was “within four months,” however people are eligible “once their symptoms have been resolved from their acute infection with Covid-19”.

“People should not be waiting to get that booster vaccine, particularly at this time when we have such widespread Covid-19 through the Omicron variant in the community,” he said.

Infectious diseases expert Professor Paul Griffin has called for clarity around the timing of booster shots for people recovered from Covid.

Infectious diseases expert Professor Paul Griffin said booster uptake was a “complex issue,” with a number of factors likely behind the slow rate in NSW.
“I do think people actually having Covid and recovering has certainly contributed to the (booster) delay, but for a lot of people a lack of clarity as to when they can get it even if they want to is a problem,” he said.

“It’s looking like we’re on the other side of the Omicron wave and we don’t want to do this again in the future so it’s important to get as many people boosted as we can.”

Prof Griffin said catching Omicron did not after the lasting protection against reinfection as the booster vaccine.

“We do know people get some protection with this variant, but it does seem to decline relatively quickly … it’s not as potent,” he said.

“We need people to have these three doses now to protect the community not only from Omicron but also other future variants.”

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the state could be last on boosters due to the “hard and fast” vaccine rollout in 2021 meaning many more people were now eligible for a third dose.

He also blamed changing eligibility criteria for “confusion” about when people recovered from Covid could get the jab.

“Please go and get your booster four to six weeks after you’ve had Covid,” he said.

Originally published as NSW Covid vaccine booster rates by LGA revealed