Why 1.6 million Aussies aren‘t protected

More than 1.6 million Australians are eligible for their Covid-19 booster shot but have not received it, according to the latest statistics on the booster rollout.

As of December 21, 1.5 million Aussies have had a booster out of an eligible group of almost 3.2 million, according to the federal government.

This leaves a shortfall of almost 1.7 million people who are now more than five months out from their second dose of a Covid-19 vaccine but are yet to receive their booster shot.

This concerning gap in protection against the virus emerged amid the growing spread of the new Omicron variant throughout Australia.

Health experts have warned that timely boosters shots are essential to maintaining sufficient protection against the new strain.

But the Morrison government insists booster supply is not to blame for this 1.6 million person shortfall.

“We have full supply,” Health Minister Greg Hunt said.

“We‘re now doing well over 200,000 doses a day. We know that we can do over 300,000 doses a day if the demand is there.”

According to statistics from the federal government, more than 2.7 million booster doses are sitting in fridges ready to be administered – more than enough to cover the 1.6 million Aussies facing fading vaccine protection.

But despite bountiful supplies, Aussies who are anxious to receive renewed protection say they are struggling to get a booster appointment.

Stella Connolly, 23, whose parents are both frontline health workers at high risk of contracting Covid-19, says her family have been unable to book their booster appointments due to ongoing technology issues with the NSW vaccine booking website.

“My family was fully vaccinated by early July, and we have been trying to get an appointment for a booster shot for over two weeks with no luck,” Ms Connolly told NCA NewsWire.

“My parents can no longer book through the hospital and are having to check the website on a near-daily basis.

“The web-based interfaces the government has provided throughout the Covid-19 pandemic have all been terrible, buggy and not user friendly.”

Ms Connolly said her parents were now concerned for their family and also their long-term dialysis patients.

“Healthcare workers should not have to rely on luck to receive necessary protection from the Omicron strain,” she said.

The sudden change in the medical advice about boosters also partially explains the 1.6 million person gap.

On December 12, Australia’s vaccination authority ATAGI announced the wait time for Covid-19 booster shots in Australia had been cut from six months to five months after the second dose.

Booster eligibility soared in a single day because of the new timeframe.

Around 1.75 million Australians were expected to be eligible for their booster shot by December 31 if the six-month interval had been retained.

But with the new five month benchmark, more than 4.1 million Australians will be eligible for a booster by December 31.

Scott Morrison on Tuesday urged Australians who were eligible for their booster shot to make an appointment immediately.

“Booster shots are so important to protect people from the Omicron variant,” the Prime Minister said

“It’s important to get those jabs done before those first doses, before kids go back to school.

“If you’re eligible and due for your booster, now is the time to come forward.”