COVID-19 vaccinations

Total Population

The change in correlation at the Local Government Area level between high rates of those who have received a second dose and high socioeconomic status in Sydney and Melbourne, from a very strong association on 27 August 2021 to no association on 22 December 2022, showed the effectiveness of the targeted strategies undertaken in those cities in increasing vaccinations across the socioeconomic spectrum. In contrast, the very strong associations with high socioeconomic status in Adelaide on 27 August (r = 0.9) remained largely unchanged in Adelaide in late December (r = 0.7), underlining the challenges remaining achieve this aim.

The correlations from late August 2021 to late December 2022 for the capital cities and regional areas can be seen in the chart in the Double map Atlas here by choosing a vaccination dose (e.g., dose 1, dose 2) and date of interest in Map 1 and the Summary of socioeconomic disadvantage (IRSD) in Map 2.

Since then, as shown in the charts available below (see Variations in COVID-19 vaccination uptake and cases by Quintile of Socioeconomic Disadvantage of Area, including Time Series), and along with the overall increase in vaccination rates in all of the capital cities, the equity gap in both Adelaide and Perth has closed. In Adelaide it has reduced from a vaccination rate 43% lower in the most disadvantaged areas (when compared with the least disadvantaged areas) on 27 August, to 14% lower on 13 December and to 2% lower on 11 July. In Perth, the respective percentages were 37% on 27 August, 12% on 13 December and no difference on 11 July. Despite the smaller gap in Perth, the rates in all of the quintiles are the lowest of the capital cities, reflecting Perth’s overall low vaccination rate.

The Single map Atlas shows the distribution of COVID-19 vaccination rates and a selection of population health indicators by LGA for the whole population. The single map also shows Time Series as a line chart showing the change in vaccination uptake over time.

To view the time series graph, choose any one of the available vaccination dates under ‘Select data’ and then choose an LGA (from map, table or bar chart) and all available dates will show in the graph. More than one area can be selected at a time to compare vaccination growth. The Time Series chart can also display trends for comparison geographies.

Children

More than half (60.7%) of all children in Australia aged from 5 to 15 years had received dose 1 of a COVID-19 vaccination at 22 December 2022. However, coverage varied widely between the jurisdictions, from lows of 52.1% in Queensland and 57.7% in the Northern Territory, to 82.1% in Canberra. Rates in the other states were in the low to mid-60% range. The proportion of children receiving dose 2 was 52.4%.

There was also considerable variation among children receiving their first dose at the Local Government Area (LGA) level across Australia. In the capital cities, vaccination rates varied from 41.5% in Scenic Rim (R), in the south of Brisbane Greater Capital City area, to 95.0% in both Adelaide (C) and Perth (C). Of the regional LGAs for which data were available, rates varied from 30.6% in Cherbourg (S), in regional Queensland, to 95.0% in Mingenew (S), in Western Australia.

The maps of the capital cities show a tendency for lower rates in more socioeconomically disadvantaged areas and higher rates in more socioeconomically advantaged areas. This relationship with socioeconomic status is most pronounced in the Sydney Greater Capital City area, with a correlation coefficient of 0.8 between children receiving their first dose and the Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage. The positive correlations with the other Greater Capital City areas are slightly lower; as shown in the table [1].

The overall impression is of a consistent association between socioeconomic disadvantage and low COVID-19 first dose rates at the LGA level across these capital cities. This is in marked contrast to the absence of a social gradient in the data for of fully vaccinated children at 1, 3 and 5 years of age, as shown here.

[1] Correlations with other indicators can be seen in the double map

Correlation coefficients (r) between % children aged 5 to 15 years received first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine at 22 December 2022 and selected demographic and socioeconomic indicators, Local Government Areas in capital cities*

Greater Capital City area	% children aged 5 to 11 years, 2021	% Aboriginal aged 5 to 9 years, 2020	% children in families where mother has low educational achievement, 2016	% Children in low income, welfare-dependent families, June 2021	% children fully immunised at 5 years of age, 2018	Potentially preventable hospitalisations (aged 0 to 14 years), 2018/19 - Standardised Ratio	Summary measure of socioeconomic disadvantage (IRSD), 2016#
Sydney	-0.4	-0.7	-0.8	-0.8	-0.2	-0.7	0.8
Melbourne	-0.7	-0.7	-0.6	-0.5	-0.5	-0.4	0.4
Brisbane**	-0.4	-0.9	-0.9	-0.7	0.5	-0.5	0.7
Adelaide	-0.8	-0.8	-0.8	-0.6	-0.7	-0.6	0.6
Perth	-0.5	-0.6	-0.6	-0.6	-0.6	-0.7	0.3

 

*Excludes Hobart, Darwin and Canberra, for which separate data are not available due to small numbers of observations (LGAs)

#IRSD is the 2016 Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Correlation coefficients with the IRSD are positive when the association with relative higher vaccination rates is positive with advantaged populations

^Correlations for Brisbane should be treated with caution as there are only seven observations (LGAs)

To see these data and other indicators, click here for the Single map Atlas (including state and territory totals and time series) or Double map atlas (including correlations).

Adult booster vaccination rates

At the state and territory level, the proportion of the population who have received dose 3, by 22 December 2022 varies from 60.0% in Queensland to 79.3% in Western Australia.

People who entered Australia under the Offshore Humanitarian Program after 2000, and socioeconomic status have been strong indicators of variations within the capital cities in the take-up of vaccinations against COVID-19. This trend is once again evident with respect to booster doses.

For example, there is a strong to very strong correlation at the Local Government Area level in the capital cities between the proportion of the population who had received a booster dose at 22 December 2022 and a range of demographic and socioeconomic indicators.

Some examples from the following table highlight the different experiences of various population groups. For example, in Melbourne, LGAs with relatively high proportions of people who have a Health Care Card have a strong negative (inverse) correlation (r = -0.9) with LGAs with high rates of people who have received dose 3. The association is weaker (-0.6), although still negative, with LGAs with high proportions of people receiving a Pensioner Concession Card (PCC); and it is strongly positive with those who have a Seniors Health Care Card (0.8), a group of older Australians who are financially far better off, on average, than those with a PCC. A similar pattern exists for the other capital cities.

The correlations with permanent migrants who entered Australia under the Offshore Humanitarian Program and arrived between 2000 and August 2016 are strong to very strong.

To see these data and other indicators, click here for single or double maps.

Correlation coefficients (r) between % received dose 3 of a COVID-19 vaccine at 22 December 2022 and selected demographic and socioeconomic indicators, Local Government Areas in capital cities*

Greater Capital City area	% Aboriginal, 2020	% born in predominantly NES# countries, all, 2016	% born in predominantly NES# countries, resident 5 years or more, 2016	Permanent migrants who arrived from 2000 to 2016^	Health Care Card, 2021	Pensioner Concession Card, 2021	Seniors Health Care Card, 2021	Summary measure of socioeconomic disadvantage, 2016~
Sydney	-0.4	-0.3	-0.4	-0.6	-0.8	-0.7	0.8	0.9
Melbourne	-0.6	-0.3	-0.4	-0.7	-0.9	-0.6	0.8	0.8
Brisbane**	-0.7	0.2	0.2	-0.6	-0.9	-0.6	0.9	0.8
Adelaide	-0.9	-0.0	-0.1	-0.7	-0.9	-0.8	0.9	0.9
Perth	-0.8	-0.1	-0.3	-0.7	-0.7	-0.7	0.9	0.9

 

*Excludes Hobart, Darwin and Canberra, for which separate data are not available due to small numbers of observations (LGAs)

#'Predominantly NES countries' comprises countries where English is not the predominant language

^Permanent migrants entering Australia under the Offshore Humanitarian Program who arrived between 2000 and 9th August 2016

~IRSD is the 2016 Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Correlation coefficients with the IRSD are positive when the association with relative higher vaccination rates is positive with advantaged populations

**Correlations for Brisbane should be treated with caution as there are only seven observations (LGAs)

As shown on this website (see Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander population below), vaccination rates among the Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander population lag those of other Australians, with the largest gaps in regional areas of Western Australia, Queensland and South Australia, and, of the capital cities, in Perth and Adelaide. It is not surprising then that, despite their relatively small numbers, there are moderate to very strong negative correlations between this population group and booster vaccination rates.

Variations in COVID-19 vaccination uptake and cases by Quintile of Socioeconomic Disadvantage of Area, including Time Series

Inequality Graphs The Inequality graphs present the COVID-19 vaccination rates and COVID-19 active and total cases, by Quintile of Socioeconomic Disadvantage of Area, for Australian capital cities. For background information and an overview on interpreting the graphs, refer to the Inequality graphs: Introduction.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

Concerns have been raised as to the low rates of vaccination in Aboriginal communities; these low rates are evident in regional data for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people first released at the LGA level by the Australian Government Department of Health on 10 November 2021 and now included in this atlas, together with a selection of demographic and socioeconomic status indicators from the Social Health Atlas of Australia.

The increased vaccination rates over the period from 13 October 2021 to 22 December 2022 are evident in each State and Territory. Of concern however is that the vaccination rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have received 2 doses compared to the total population are all relatively low, and are the lowest in South Australia (76.3%) and Queensland (78.9%).

More geographically disaggregated data would be useful in addressing the specific locations where greater efforts are needed to address these low rates. Until then, the LGA data serve as a reminder of the wide variation in vaccination rates amongst this vulnerable group.

Percentage of COVID-19 vaccinations, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 15 years and over who have received 2 doses, by Section of State [1]

		10 November 2021				22 Decemver 2022
		Total	Range at LGA level (%)	Difference (% points)		Total	Range at LGA level (%)	Difference (% points)
New South Wales		76.9				86.1
	Sydney	81.3	74 - 89	15		n.a.	80 - 93	13
	Rest of NSW	74.8	48 - 89	41		n.a.	65 - 96	31
Victoria		73.6				89.0
	Melbourne	76.4	69 - 88	19		n.a.	85 - 93	8
	Rest of Vic	70.5	56 - 88	32		n.a.	83 - 96	13
Queensland		42.1				78.9
	Brisbane	49.9	43 - 56	13		n.a.	78 - 84	6
	Rest of Qld	38.6	26 - 81	55		n.a.	66 - 95	29
South Australia		43.6				76.3
	Adelaide	44.0	35 - 72	37		n.a.	72 - 91	19
	Rest of SA	43.2	32 - 87	55		n.a.	63 - 97	34
Western Australia		31.0				82.3
	Perth	33.9	28 - 66	38		n.a.	78 - 92	14
	Rest of WA	28.8	10 - 56	46		n.a.	70 - 98	28
Tasmania		62.8				86.9
	Hobart	66.6	64 - 76	12		n.a.	82 - 91	9
	Rest of Tas	60.3	53- 83	30		n.a.	81 - 94	13
Northern Territory		48.9				86.3
	Darwin	53.0	48 - 60	12		n.a.	88 - 90	2
	Rest of NT	47.1	24 - 75	51		n.a.	75 - 96	21
ACT		82.7	..	..		90.0	..	..

 

[1] Data are only shown where there are sufficient LGAs

The Single map Atlas by LGA shows the distribution of COVID-19 vaccination rates and a selection of population health indicators for both Aboriginal people and the whole population.

Choose any one of the available vaccination dates under ‘Select data’ and then choose an area (from map, table or bar chart) and all available dates will show in the graph. More than one area can be selected at a time to compare vaccination growth. The Time Series chart can also display trends for comparison geographies.

The Single map Atlas by SA4 allow a comparison of vaccination rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people and the whole population (whereas data by LGA for the total population is not available for LGAs across the whole of Australia) and for a longer time series than shown in the LGA Atlas. However, SA4 data is only available until late September.

Correlations between the indicators in the Single map Atlas are available in the Double map Atlas by LGA and SA4.

To show the comparison between Indigenous and total population vaccination rates choose any one of the available dates under ‘Select data for Map 1’, then choose another from ‘Select data for Map 2’.

Data for the whole population can be found here.

Data for the Indigenous population can be found here.