Really shows that it's the regions where the health officials are going to have to work the hardest, right around the country. EDIT: except maybe in Victoria where the regions are ahead of Melbourne.
Note with the areas that are low, that
a lower average age is one key reason why some areas have low vaccination rates as those areas with a younger population have more people not eligible to be vaccinated earlier.
Though other factors are also at play including demographics, ability to take time off work etc
By Michael Doyle
Victoria's vaccination rates are lower in areas hit hard by COVID infections
Vaccination data released by the Commonwealth, breaking down rates by geographic location, has shown Melbourne's north west, west and south east have the lowest rates of vaccination in Victoria.
Those areas include some of the suburbs with the highest infection rates during Melbourne's outbreaks, particularly during the second wave.
Just 34.7 per cent of people in the Melbourne — North West area aged over 15 have had one dose of a vaccine, and 15.6 per cent have had two doses.
The area takes in suburbs such as Sunbury, Craigieburn and Broadmeadows, as well as parts of the Macedon Ranges.
Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows about 430,000 people live in the area, with about a quarter of those born overseas in the 2016 census. The median age is about 35, meaning much of the population has not been officially eligible for a vaccine.
It's a similar picture in the Melbourne — West area, which takes in suburbs like Sunshine, Truganina and Werribee, where only 16.5 per cent have had two doses and the median age is 34.
That's compared to the Melbourne — Inner South area, where 23.1 per cent of the population has had both doses. The median age there is higher than the national average, at 39.
Bendigo in central Victoria has the highest rates in the entire country, with 25.1 per cent of the population having two doses of the vaccine.
"Some of it will relate to the demographics of those households," the state's Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said earlier.
"The disparities that occur tend to be socioeconomic in terms of vaccine uptake, even though they're same disparities that have led to more COVID cases in Victoria and around the world."
Professor Sutton said there were some areas that were more subject to "misinformation or disinformation" about vaccines.
"We need to understand, recognize that and respond to it appropriately. But I think Victoria is doing very well overall," he said.
Nationally, 40.96 per cent of the over-16 population has had one dose, and 19.23 per cent have had both.
covidlive.com.au
www.austria.info
