New data reveals one-quarter of Australia’s available COVID-19 vaccines going unused

A huge number of the COVID-19 vaccines are are languishing in fridges rather than being jabbed into the arms of Australians.

Almost a quarter of all available COVID-19 vaccine doses are not being used in Australia, the federal health department has revealed.

According to the latest commonwealth vaccine data, the Northern Territory has the worst rate of vaccine utilisation, closely followed by Queensland.

Nationally, dose utilisation as of week 12 of the vaccine rollout was 77 per cent.

Almost a quarter of all available COVID-19 vaccines in Australia are not being used. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Wayne Taylor

In the Northern Territory, 47,652 doses have been made available, but just 22,953 have been administered, a low 58 per cent dose utilisation rate.

In Queensland, just 64 per cent of available doses have been used – 170,330 out of 317,810.

Tasmania has had the highest rate of dose utilisation, having administered 49,739 of the 62,254 doses available.

Just 22 per cent of NSW’s available COVID-19 vaccine doses are going unused. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Bianca De Marchi

NSW sits at 78 per cent, Victoria at 77 per cent, Western Australia at 80 per cent, South Australia at 79 per cent, and the ACT at 82 per cent.

In total, 4,622,610 doses are available around the country, but just 3,100,137 have been administered.

But fewer than 1000 disability care residents have received their COVID-19 vaccine despite being in the first priority group.

Health Minister Greg Hunt said 1526 support workers had received a jab.

In addition, 60 per cent of residential aged care facilities have received a second visit.

“It’s an intended sequential process and it’s based on risk, and we’re following that advice,” he said.

Health Minister Greg Hunt said last week 36,000 vaccines had been administered throughout Australia. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

On Monday, Mr Hunt revealed Australia had set a new national weekly record last week, administering 36,000 vaccines.

Adults over the age of 50 are now able to get their COVID-19 vaccine through registered GPs as well as through commonwealth-run clinics.