Data released by the federal government has highlighted the widening gap between fully vaccinated Indigenous Australians and the overall population, and the direct impact COVID-19 will have on First Nations people if Australia eases restrictions once 70 or 80 per cent of adults are vaccinated.
Historically, Australia’s Aboriginal community has been heavily impacted by the effects of widespread viral infections such as measles, smallpox and the Spanish Flu and this article highlights the impact low COVID-19 vaccination rates could have on our First Nations people.
Despite the slow rollout, Victoria is leading the way in terms of vaccination rates amongst the Indigenous population with 43% of people fully vaccinated against COVID-19, more than double that of the non-Indigenous population in Victoria at 26%.
According to Jeroen Weimar, the COVID-19 response commander in Victoria, the states’ success with facilitating a competent roll out initiative amongst the Indigenous communities can be attributed to joint efforts and strong partnerships.
To read the article in full, please click on the link below.
The Age: ‘The moment you walk in through those doors your healing starts’: Victoria leading the race on Indigenous vaccination