New federal-state push to vax older Australians needed: report
Older Australians, especially those who are poorer and living in rural and regional areas, are missing life-saving vaccinations for Covid and other deadly illnesses, a new report warns.
The lives of millions of older Australians are at risk due to low vaccination rates against serious illnesses including Covid, flu, shingles and pneumococcal disease, a new report warns.
Covid-19 vaccination rates among over-65s have plunged since the height of the pandemic in 2021, the Grattan Institute study notes. Fewer than half of those over 70 are vaccinated for shingles and one in five for pneumococcal, which protects against meningitis, sepsis and pneumonia.
And those least likely to be vaccinated are poorer, less likely to speak English, living in the regions or First Nations, the report “A fair shot: how to close the vaccination gap”, says.
The study calls for a new federal/state vaccination agreement, with targets to drive up vaccination rates of Covid and other shots, which would save lives and relieve pressure on state hospital systems.
It notes the lack of impetus around Covid vaccines for over-65s, a particularly vulnerable group for the disease. In December 2021 more than 90 per cent of high-risk adults had received a booster within the past six months, but now the rate sits at 27 per cent.
At the start of this winter, 2.5 million people over 65 weren’t up to date with their vaccinations – two million more than a year earlier, the report says.
“The consequences are deadly,” Grattan Institute health program director and report lead author Peter Breadon said. “Covid is still with us, and it’s still causing more deaths and putting more people in hospital than the flu.”
The report calls for policy changes to address the vaccination shortfalls, under the umbrella of a new federal-state vaccination agreement.
The proposals include greater advertising, SMS vaccination reminders and specific responsibilities given to Primary Health Networks to improve vaccination rates in their areas.
There has been some policy movement in this area, with the shingles vaccine being made free from this month for people 65 and older, First Nations people aged 50 and over and some immuno-compromised people.
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