Live Breaking News: Vaccine hesitancy stuck at 'worrying' levels

Millions across Australia are in lockdown and NSW is on the verge of disaster, but it hasn't been enough to drive down vaccine hesitancy. 

Millions across Australia are in lockdown and NSW is on the verge of disaster, but it hasn't been enough to drive down vaccine hesitancy. 

The Melbourne Institute's fortnightly Vaccine Hesitancy Report – which tracks how many Australian adults are either unwilling or unsure about being vaccinated – has revealed that vaccine hesitancy across the country now sits at 21.8 per cent of the population.

The previous report, in late July, was at 21.5 per cent. And while hesitancy has been falling nationwide since peaking in mid-May, it appears to have plateaued in the last four weeks.

"It is worry that we might be starting to see a plateau in these numbers," the report's author, Melbourne Institute Professor Anthony Scott, told The Australian.

"Given the reasons for the hesitancy have been the same for some months, that is the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines, there is clearly an issue about the messaging. It is not getting through.

"We've seen other countries plateau at vaccination rates around the 70 per cent mark, so it is difficult, but we need to ensure people are in receipt of clear, unbiased advice and information on vaccination."

It comes as NSW confirmed 345 new Covid-19 cases and two new deaths, with three more Sydney LGAs facing harsher restrictions and the Hunter and New England lockdown extended.

Follow below for more updates. You can find yesterday's blog here.