The NSW suburbs with lowest and highest Covid vaccine rates revealed

A western Sydney mayor believes ‘vaccine fatigue’ and lingering resentment over lockdowns are factors as to why a region once considered the states Covid epicentre is now recording the lowest vaccine rate in NSW.

“Vaccine fatigue” and lingering resentment over lockdowns have been cited as possible factors in a sharp drop in Covid-19 vaccine rates in NSW with suburbs once considered hotspots for the virus now recording the lowest vaccine rates across the state.

Newly released Federal Health data has revealed an ongoing decline in the number of people receiving Covid-19 vaccinations with parts of Sydney’s southwest recording the lowest coverage rates led by Fairfield, Liverpool and Cumberland.

Across NSW, the number of people vaccinated in the last 12 months topped 742,836 while 224,752 people received the vaccine in the last six months.

This is a decline from the 454,772 who had been vaccinated in the past six months at the same time last year and a significant drop from 2022 when the state’s average vaccination rate surpassed 90 per cent.

As of January this year, the Fairfield local government area has the lowest vaccine rate for Covid-19 in NSW with three per cent of the population vaccinated in the last 12 months and 0.8 per cent in the last six months.

A COVID-19 drive through clinic at Fairfield Showground in 2021.

This was followed by the Liverpool local government area, Cumberland, Canterbury-Bankstown, Bayside, Strathfield, Camden and Blacktown.

Fairfield Mayor Frank Carbone believes the dwindling vaccine rates could be due “vaccine fatigue” in a region once considered a Covid epicentre and a designated “area of concern” for infection.

”I think people have lost confidence in the vaccine because the government treated western Sydney differently to other parts of Sydney and there was a perception we were being used as guinea pigs,” he said.

Vaccination Hubs were set up during the peak of the pandemic including at Sydney Olympic Park (pictured).

“In Fairfield we weren’t allowed to go outside the area unless we were vaccinated whereas the rest of Sydney was able to come into Fairfield whether they were vaccinated or not.

”People haven’t forgotten that.

“It’s a shame because vaccines are important and people need to have confidence in the system.

“I think people are now more concerned about making money to put food on the table and trying to make ends meet.”

Covid-19 vaccination rates have declined across NSW.

Dr Andrew Pesce, an obstetrician who works at Westmead Hospital, said the decline in vaccine rates could correlate with decline in severity of the Covid-19 virus.

“The initial Covid outbreak in 2020 was much more severe and everyone was very focused on it because no one knew how bad it could be,” he said.

“Over time the outbreaks have become less severe and even though we still have patients present with infections we don’t have nearly as many people in ICU with the virus.

“It seems to have evolved into a less severe disease in terms of causing death”

Covid-19 drive-through testing during the peak of the pandemic.

The Federal health data shows the Kiama local government currently has the highest Covid-19 vaccine rates in NSW with 25 per cent of the population receiving a vaccine in the last year and nine per cent in the last six months.

In Sydney, the local government areas with the highest vaccine rates are all located on the north shore – led by Mosman, Hunters Hill, Ku-ring-gai, Lane Cove and North Sydney.

In NSW, the number of people fully vaccinated in each local government averages at 3.9 per cent per – below Queensland which has an average rate of 10 per cent, and Victoria which has 14.6 per cent.

As of January 6, there were 25 people in ICU with Covid-19 in NSW, while 445 people have registered as having Covid-19 in aged care facilities.

The number of Covid-19 cases reported in NSW has also declined since the peak of the pandemic with 341,414 notifications last year – down from 866,334 in 2023 and 10.3 million in 2022.

NSW Health said is “continues to strongly recommend all people stay up to date with their vaccinations as recommended for their age and health status”.

“Covid-19 vaccines continue to provide strong individual protection for people at higher risk of serious illness and death from Covid-19 including older adults and those with underlying health conditions,” a NSW Health spokeswoman said.

“An updated vaccine has been available since early December. Vaccines are still widely available through community pharmacies and general practice.”