Why millions of Aussies have not gotten boosters
A new study has revealed that adults across Australia are proving very hesitant to receive their Covid-19 boosters.
The analysis shows the hesitancy is not from vaccine misinformation or resistance, but from being completely disengaged from consuming further information about Covid-19.
The survey conducted by the Australian National University shows less than half of all double vaccinated Australians aged 18 and over have had their booster.
It also found young Australians aged 18-24, Indigenous Australians, people with low education, and those who live in disadvantaged areas, are less likely to have received the third shot.
In January, the ANU survey of more than 3400 adults found about four-in-10 Australians or 41.5% had received a third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Study co-author Nicholas Biddle says 65.4% of people surveyed confirmed they would definitely get a booster compared to 71.9% in a survey previously conducted in October.
'The findings suggest that booster uptake is not due to active resistance ... but rather because people either do not have that much information about the need for a third dose or because they have made a judgement that it is not necessary for them,' he said.
'The experience of the first two doses, particularly side effects, may also have made some reluctant to seek out a third dose.'
Although Australia had high success nationally with the initial rollout, where 94.4% of people over 16 years have had two doses, the ANU analysis shows there is no guarantee that success will be repeated in the booster rollout.
'There is a very large proportion of adult Australians who are eligible for a booster but have not yet done so, with many of these individuals likely to have waning immunity from their first two doses,' Professor Biddle said.
This information coincides with the restrictions lifting, where wearing a mask and checking in will become a thing of the past. Nationally, more than 25,000 COVID-19 infections were recorded on Thursday.
Image: Getty