Covid vaccination rates across Sydney, NSW revealed

As more and more borders open to NSW, there are concerns some regions aren’t ready for interstate travel to resume.

New data has shown some regions within NSW do not have high enough vaccination rates to be prepared for interstate travel given some townships are lagging behind other parts of the state.

According to data from NSW Health, a small number of towns and postcodes still have a high number of unvaccinated residents compared with Greater Sydney, posing a risk as other states around the country begin to reopen to NSW.

According to the data, Wilcannia and Boggabilla in the NSW north west region have less than 50 per cent of eligible residents fully vaccinated.

In addition, the area of Murray Downs postcode of 2734 on the NSW and Victorian border have the state’s lowest vaccination rate by far, with less than 30 per cent of eligible residents fully vaccinated.

Wallaroo also have very low vaccination rates, with the postcode on the NSW and ACT border reporting less than 40 per cent of residents were fully vaccinated.

Despite having lower numbers initially, the highly popular holiday region of Byron Bay has lifted its vaccination figures.

The map showing how parts of Sydney are tracking with vaccination, with the yellow and green areas under 70 per cent.

The latest data shows at least 90 per cent with a single dose and 80 to 90 per cent with a double dose.

In greater Sydney, several postcodes are still yet to reach the 70 per cent fully vaccinated – with suburbs like Chippendale, Darlington and Golden Grove less than 60 per cent fully vaccinated, while the suburbs of Elizabeth Bay and Kings Cross also have less than 60 per cent fully vaccinated.

The figures come as more states begin to reopen to NSW.

On Tuesday, families and friends who were dislocated for more than 100 days have begun to reunite as South Australia opens its borders to every Australian jurisdiction.

Adelaide Airport was filled with tears of joy on Tuesday morning after the border restrictions eased dramatically at 12.01am.

Adelaide airport welcomed NSW back today. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

It’s been 153 days since residents from NSW and Victoria have been permitted to enter.

Under the newly eased restrictions, only fully vaccinated people who returned a negative Covid-19 test 72 hours prior to their arrival are allowed in.

Those travellers must also come from a local government area that has a minimum vaccination rate of 80 per cent and don’t need to isolate.

Unvaccinated people will need to apply for a travel exemption through SA Health to enter the state.

There are about 30,000 people who have so far been approved to enter SA now that the borders have opened.

On Friday, thousands of fully vaccinated Australians landed in the Northern Territory as the region eases its border restrictions – with the government promising to drop another painful coronavirus rule in a matter of weeks.

The same day, the Northern Territory government announced an end to hotel quarantine for fully vaccinated travellers from across Australia.

The changes, which allow fully vaccinated Aussies from red or green zones to quarantine at home for seven days, came into effect yesterday, with 16 planes landing at Darwin Airport on Monday.

– With Natalie Wolfe