Australia’s lowest vaccinated areas revealed with QLD making up the majority

As Australia races to reach the PM’s target of 70 per cent vaccinated, the 10 locations with the lowest rates have been revealed.

As debate rages around Queensland’s stance on vaccines new figures show the sunshine state makes up half of the worst areas for vaccine uptake in the country.

Data from the Australian Government Operation Shield’s publication detailed which areas across the country have the highest and lowest rates of vaccine uptake.

It comes as their health officials are at odds over vaccine recommendations.

chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young providing a Covid-19 update.

The information published on Monday showed Queensland makes up the majority of the top ten locations.

Western Australia’s outback (north) took the number one spot for the lowest number of people aged over 15 with at least one dose of the vaccine with only 18.2 per cent receiving a jab.

Queensland communities took the next three spots with its outback having 26.3 per cent, Mackay, Isaac and Whitsundays 27.1 per cent and Logan, Beaudesert having 28.5 per cent.

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It comes as Queensland’s chief medical officer Jeanette Young is blasted over her comment on the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Dr Young’s stance on Monday that she didn’t want 18-year-olds being given the vaccine was at odds with official advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation, which recommended all adults in hot spots should “strongly consider” speaking to their doctor about taking the vaccine.

Deputy chief medical officer Michael Kidd said Queensland’s outbreak met the threshold to be considered “significant”.

“ATAGI has reaffirmed their previous advice that in a large outbreak, the benefits of the Covid-19 vaccine AstraZeneca are greater than the risk of the side effects occurring, for all age groups,” Dr Kidd told The Australian.

“The ATAGI advice remains that Pfizer is the preferred vaccine for those under 16 but the AstraZeneca vaccine is available to anyone over the age of 18.”

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – NewsWire Photos – JANUARY 10, 2021. Queensland chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young watches Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk chief health officer Dr Jeanette Young during a press conference to provide a COVID-19 update. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

Communities in NSW closed out the top ten for communities with the lowest vaccine uptake.

Southwest Sydney has the eighth-lowest uptake with 33.1 per cent, it is followed by Sydney’s inner southwest at 33.5 per cent, while NSW’s far west is in the tenth spot with 34.1 per cent.

In Victoria, Melbourne has some of the worst vaccination rates.

The city’s north west took poll position with 34.7 per cent.