We did it mates, Australia has gone and hit the 70 percent vaccination rate target as a country. If that’s not a reason to rip the scab off a midday tin, I don’t know what is.
Health Minister Greg Hunt made the big announcement on Wednesday – that’s today! – and congratulated the majority of the country who have already rolled up their sleeves and gotten the jab to help Australia hit this important milestone.
“Yesterday there were 277,000 Australians who came forward to be vaccinated and that has now taken us past 33 million mark to 33,212,000 vaccinations that have been delivered into the country,” he said. “Over 33 million vaccinations and significantly, it is 70% double vaccinated.”
It’s official! We’ve just PASSED 70% DOUBLE DOSE ACROSS AUSTRALIA (16+)! Go team! #covid19aus
— Dr Sandro Demaio (@SandroDemaio) October 20, 2021
Hunt also confirmed that as a country, we’ve now also nudged passed the 85% mark of first doses, which hopefully means Australia will hit the 80% double-dose target within the next few weeks.
You bloody beauty, you do love to hear it.
Younger Aussies were shouted out in particular, with Hunt confirming that around a quarter of the youngest people currently eligible to get a COVID vaccine have gone and gotten it done.
“Young Australians have just done an amazing job in coming forward and already a quarter of them have had a second dose,” he said.
“This is a really heartening sign – 60.4%.”
Now that we’ve collectively hit that 70% double dose milestone, it also means the government is going full steam ahead with the next phase – booster shots.
Federal Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said he’s been in talks with the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) about Australia’s booster program, and how other countries have tackled that next important phase of protection against COVID.
“On the booster program, that is currently actively being looked at with a target. I have had several meetings with the target group, ATAGI,” he said.
“There are several countries now that have started on booster programs in different ways. But particularly in Israel, where they have gone very rapidly with a booster program for the whole population, and we are able to look at the data backup from Israel yesterday and it confirms this is a safe, effective in all age group for both decreasing infection as well as severe disease and, for the older age group, death prevention.”
Give yourselves a big bloody pat on the back and celebrate with a mighty froth at the pub when you can get there. You deserve it, I deserve it, we all bloody deserve to tear the lid off one after this mammoth effort.
All Aussies over the age of 12 are currently able to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Click here to see which clinics are offering it, and talk to a doctor for more info.
The best vaccine is the first one you can get, and that’ll be our ticket out of this mess.
