ACT becomes first Australian state or territory to fully vaccinate 90 per cent of population aged 12 and over against COVID-19 - ABC News

The ACT has become the first Australian state or territory to fully vaccinate 90 per cent of its population over the age of 12. 

Key points:

• The ACT has reached 90 per cent double vaccination for people over the age of 12
• The territory is on track to become one of the most vaccinated jurisdictions in the world
• Local health authorities are targeting their vaccine rollout to suburbs with lower dosage rates 

The territory hit the critical vaccine milestone last night, with 90 per cent of the eligible population now protected against COVID-19.

Local health authorities have previously said the territory was on track to be one of the most vaccinated jurisdictions in the world by Christmas. 

But ACT Health has said it was too early to tell if recent low case numbers were linked to high levels of vaccination.

They also promised to target its vaccination rollout at vulnerable communities over the coming days. 

The ACT has recently emerged from a nine-week lockdown, and will face a second easing of restrictions from this Friday.

The ACT government will run pop up vaccination clinics in suburbs that have lower-than-average vaccination rates. (ABC News: Ian Cutmore)

90 per cent double dosed and rising 

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr has persistently praised the territory's climbing vaccination rates, linking them to a decision to ease restrictions earlier than planned.

"Canberrans should be really proud of how our community has worked together and given us the best opportunity to manage the expected increase in cases as the nation starts to reopen," Mr Barr said, as he announced changes to the ACT's roadmap. 

"We are now well on our way to having close to 99 per cent of the eligible population fully vaccinated by the end of November."

The ACT government estimated 90 per cent of the territory's eligible population would be fully vaccinated as of 6pm last night. 

The ACT opened vaccination appointments for Canberrans aged 12-15 on September 13, after ATAGI approved the use of vaccines among the age group. 

At the time of the announcement, health authorities said the cohort included around 25,000 children. 

The Access and Sensory COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic at Weston was established to support vulnerable Canberrans with disabilities or autism to get vaccinated.(ABC News: Greg Nelson)

Pop up testing to target low dosage communities 

ACT Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said although vaccination rates were high, there were still areas of the community that were lagging. 

"We've been monitoring for quite some time both groups within the community and also postcodes where we're seeing low vaccination take up," Ms Stephen-Smith said. 

"Our Equity to Access team has been working with providers around ensuring people with disability have good access, [and] Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are supported and encouraged to come forward and get vaccinated.

"This also includes ensuring a range of culturally and linguistically diverse communities, including refugee communities, are supported, and we work with their community leaders to build trust in coming forward and getting vaccinated."

Local health teams will also use vaccination data across different postcodes to target the areas most in need. 

"There have been pop ups right around the city, in Kambah, in Gungahlin, in a range of other places, and this week we're going to Symonston for two days at the long day caravan park; a pop up at Turner Scout Hall; as well as Mura Lanyon Youth Community Centre in Condor for a couple of days," Ms Stephen-Smith said.

"Then we're going back with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community to Yeddung Mura [for] our three week second dose pop up. And then also Gungahlin Salvos in Gungahlin with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.

"These are people who often aren't going to access a mainstream health service, so it's about giving them access but also creating trust in that service."

Ms Stephen-Smith said vaccination rates were lower than average in Canberra's east, and parts of the city's inner-north. 

"The inner north has had relatively lower vaccination rates than the rest of the community and when it comes to pure numbers that's actually more people than in that Canberra east area as well," Ms Stephen-Smith said.

"We're focussing on both those areas, partnering with organisations that we know are trusted in the community and going to the places where we know people are." 

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https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiZmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDIxLTEwLTI3L2FjdC1yZWFjaGVzLTkwLXBlci1jZW50LXZhY2NpbmF0aW9uLW1pbGVzdG9uZS1jb3ZpZDE5LzEwMDU3MDE1NtIBKGh0dHBzOi8vYW1wLmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvYXJ0aWNsZS8xMDA1NzAxNTY?oc=5

2021-10-26 20:00:13Z
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