Queenscliff is leading Australia’s COVID-19 vaccination race due to its ageing population, with the Surf Coast Shire third in Victoria for fully-vaccinated residents.
As of last Friday, 86.9 per cent of people over the age of 15 had received their first dose in the Borough of Queenscliff, while almost two thirds were fully-vaccinated, according to the latest federal health data.
The rates in the borough, which has a median age of 59, were the highest for both categories of any municipality in Australia.
Aged care residents were among the first eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccines in Australia, with federal government progressively lowering the eligibility age criteria throughout the year.
“Queenscliff has an older population and this is likely to have influenced the vaccination rate,” Barwon South West Public Health Unit director Professor Eugene Athan stated on Monday.
The Surf Coast Shire, which has a median age of 42, has the second-highest rate of first doses and the third most fully-vaccinated residents of any local government area (LGA) in Victoria, at 73.1 and 48.3 per cent respectively.
The federal department of health last Saturday released data for 400 LGAs, with the Surf Coast Shire placing 14th nationwide for both first doses and fully-vaccinated residents.
NSW has the most LGAs in the top 10 for first doses as the state rushes to vaccinate its population amid record daily cases.
Greater Geelong ranks 29th out of Victorian LGAs for first doses and 15th for fully-vaccinated locals, at 63.8 and 41.4 per cent respectively, and 101st and 57th in Australia.
Previous federal health data releases have ranked Geelong as having the highest vaccination rates of any region in Victoria.
But these releases relate to the larger Geelong statistical area level 4, which also includes the Surf Coast Shire and the Borough of Queenscliffe.
Professor Athan expected the region to reach state government vaccination targets for reopening in November.
“Of course, this will be achieved earlier if there is more vaccine supply,” he said.
“We aim to achieve equitable vaccination rates across the region, so the population rates in each area will vary from week-to-week.”
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