Ninety per cent of all Aussies aged over 16 are expected to have at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine by the end of the day. Photo / Getty Images
Australia will soon hit a staggering first-dose vaccination milestone across the entire country as the total number of jabs administered nationally tips over 37 million.
Ninety per cent of all Aussies aged over 16 are expected to have at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine by the end of today, according to Health Minister Greg Hunt.
"We know that yesterday we got to 89.9 per cent of first doses, and today we will pass 90 per cent," Hunt said on Thursday.
"That's a huge achievement."
Every single state and territory in Australia has now passed the 80 per cent first dose rate.
NSW and the ACT continue to lead the nation in vaccination rates with 94 and 95 per cent of their respective populations having received at least one jab.
"What we're seeing is a country on track to have over 90 per cent of the population doubled dosed – One of the highest rates in the world," Hunt said.
But Australia's double dose rate still has a while to go, currently sitting at around 81.9 per cent across the country.
Marginalise populations such as indigenous Australians continue to fall behind, due in part to their geographical isolation and lack of trust in mainstream health services.
Hunt said this issue was gradually being resolved, with vaccination rates in the Northern Territory picking up steam over the past month.
"What we've been seeing is the fastest rates of first dose vaccination in the country have been coming out to the NT," he said.
"The fastest rates by demographics or a particular section of the country have been coming out of indigenous Australian populations."
The first-dose vaccination rate in Australia's indigenous population now sits at 67.4 per cent.
Children under 12 have also been left behind as parents anxiously wait for the Therapeutic Goods Administration to announce a Covid-19 vaccine that is safe for that age group.
Pfizer and Moderna have both received provisional determination by the TGA for use in children aged under 12.
The granting of provisional determination means that the TGA has decided that the vaccine manufacturers are eligible to apply for provisional registration for the vaccine in Australia.
However, this gives no guarantee that the application will be approved.
Mr Hunt said he expected the TGA to be able to make an announcement on the use of Pfizer in 5-11 year olds sometime before Christmas.
"(The TGA) want to see the real world data and we're in that very fortunate position that that will come through over the coming weeks between now and Christmas," he said.
"I am confident that we will have childhood vaccination in Australia because we went to 12 to 15 and we were able to implement that immediately.
"Now they're considering five to 11 for Pfizer, six to 11 for Moderna, but they do not want to cut corners on children's safety, and I endorse that approach."
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