Vaccines prevent thousands of deaths and hospitalizations in Australia each year.
However, millions of high-risk older Australians not obtained We recommend vaccination against coronavirus, influenza, pneumococcal disease, and shingles.
Some people are more likely to miss out, such as immigrant communities and rural and poor suburban communities.
as our new Grattan report shows:a policy reset to encourage more Australians to get vaccinated could help save lives and ease pressure on struggling hospitals.
Read more: Millions of adults in Australia are unvaccinated, increasing the risk of disease for us all
Adult vaccines reduce risk of serious illness
Vaccines reduce the risk of hospitalization and serious illness, often more than half.
The new coronavirus is already causing more 3,000 people have died in Australia this year.On average, the number of deaths from influenza is approximately 600 people per yearHowever, during a bad flu season like 2017; thousands of dead.Pneumococcal infection can also lead to death hundreds of Number of people per year. Although shingles is rarely fatal, it can be very painful and cause a condition. long-term nerve damage.
Even before COVID-19, vaccine-preventable diseases were causing tens of thousands of potentially preventable hospitalizations each year. 80,000 people in 2018.
The vaccines provided in Australia have been tested for safety and effectiveness and have been found to: very safe For those who We recommend that you obtain.
Too many high-risk people are missing out on opportunities.
our report It shows that by this winter, only 60% of high-risk Australians had received a flu shot.
Only 38% of people had received a coronavirus vaccine within the past six months. Compared to a year ago, two million more high-risk people went into the winter without receiving a recent coronavirus vaccination.
Since then, vaccination rates have fallen further. Just over a quarter (27%) People 75 and older who have been vaccinated within the past 6 months. This means more than 1.3 million people have not received a recent coronavirus vaccination.
Uptake rates for other vaccines are also low. Among Australians in their 70s, less than half Only 1 in 5 people have been vaccinated against shingles, and only 1 in 5 people have been vaccinated against pneumococcal disease.
Read more: Explainer: How does shingles develop and who should get the shingles vaccination?
These vaccination rates are not only low but also inequitable. The likelihood that someone will get vaccinated depends on where they live, where they were born, the language they speak at home, and their income.
For example, earlier this winter, COVID-19 vaccination coverage among high-risk Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults was just 25%. This makes them around a third less likely to have received a coronavirus vaccination in the past six months than the average high-risk Australian.
Less than 20% of the more than 750,000 high-risk adults who do not speak English at home have received COVID-19 vaccines, about half the rate of the average high-risk adult.
Of this group, 250,000 adults are not fluent in English. They were 58% less likely to have received a coronavirus vaccine in the past six months compared to the average high-risk person.
Flu vaccination coverage among high-risk adults who speak English at home is 62%. However, for people from the other 29 language groups who are not fluent in English, that percentage is less than 31%. Her vaccination rate of 39,000 people is half that of those who speak English at home.
These vaccination gaps are leading to differences in people’s health status. Australians born overseas not only have far lower rates of COVID-19 vaccination, but also far higher rates of death from COVID-19.
Where people live also affects vaccination rates. High-risk people living in remote or extremely remote areas are less likely to be vaccinated, and there are large regional differences even within the capital.
we need to set ambitious goals
Australia needs a vaccination reset. A new national immunization agreement between the federal and state governments should include ambitious but achievable goals for adult vaccines.
This can build on the success of childhood and adolescent vaccination targets and set targets for overall coverage and communities that are lagging behind.
The federal government should ask the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (ATAGI) to advise on vaccination coverage for coronavirus, influenza, pneumococcal and shingles for all high-risk older people.
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Different solutions for different barriers
Barriers to vaccination range from the trivial to the serious. New national vaccination strategies need to remove high and low barriers alike.
First, we need to make vaccination easier and more understandable to increase overall uptake.
The federal government should introduce a “surge” of vaccinations, especially for the winter. countries of europe do.
During a surge, high-risk people should be able to get vaccinated, even if they have had a recent infection or received a shot. This will simplify the rules and make vaccination easier in aged care.
The vaccination surge should be reinforced with advertising that explains who should get vaccinated and why. Those at high risk should receive SMS reminders.
Read more: Health check: When should adults be vaccinated?
Second, because of the large number of people who are willing to use mainstream primary care services but are not vaccinated for reasons such as language barriers or being in elderly care. This requires targeted policies.
primary health network Funding should be obtained to coordinate efforts such as vaccination events in elderly care and disability care facilities, workforce training to support culturally competent care, and provision of interpreters.
Third, you need a customized program to achieve your goals. People who aren’t comfortable or don’t have access to mainstream healthcareThe most complex barriers to vaccination include mistrust of the health care system and poverty.
Each of these communities is so different that a one-size-fits-all program won’t work. The pandemic has shown that vaccination programs can be successful if they are planned and delivered to targeted areas. For example,community champion” Anyone who disputes misinformation, or health services who organize vaccination events where communities work, gather, or work. worship.
These programs require continued funding, but they also require accountability for achieving results.
Adult vaccines are a missing part of Australia’s lifelong vaccination strategy. We need to close the vaccination gap for the health and safety of the most vulnerable in our communities.
Read more: What is the COVID-19 booster vaccine? Can I get it? do they work? are they safe?
