Supply issues, time between doses to blame for slowing NSW vaccine rates, putting opening date at risk

While NSW is leading the charge in Australia’s race towards fully vaccinating 80 per cent of its eligible population, the number of jabs administered each week has slowed.

Last month, NSW had one of the highest vaccination rates in the world, but this week the weekly doses dropped by 130,000 compared to the week before, with Premier Gladys Berejiklian flagging supply issues and AstraZeneca hesitance as some of the issues.

More than 42 per cent of NSW residents are now fully vaccinated, with the state on track to hit 80 per cent single doses on Monday.

The assumption is the state will reach the 70 per cent double dose mark in mid-October, triggering an easing of restrictions.

But the lagging vaccination rate could translate to a lag in the state’s race to its freedom milestone, putting the expected opening date in jeopardy.

To compare over a month, between August 12-18, 776,123 doses were administered; between August 19-25, 805,144 doses were administered; between August 26 and September 1: 821,228 doses were administered; and between September 2-8: 691,500 doses were administered.

Ms Berejiklian said supply issues were among the reasons why the rate had plummeted so drastically.

“We are grateful for the extra doses we have been given but there is a lumpiness in supply, especially for younger people, that is one challenge,” she said.

“The other challenge is because we had such a big push for first dose, people need to wait a few weeks for their second, so there are those issues as well.”

Ms Berejiklian hinted that ongoing hesitancy to get the AstraZeneca vaccine could also be a factor in the slowdown.

“There is ample supply (of AstraZeneca) at Qudos Bank Area today,” she said.

“I have had it and I encourage people to get vaccinated. We still see people over 70 … over 50 who are not vaccinated.

‘There is no reason why.”

Ms Berejiklian said other countries around the world had experienced a fall in vaccination rates between 70 and 80 per cent, and she “did not want to see that here”.

“I hold the ambition that Dr Chant holds, I would like to see first doses close to 90 per cent because then we know we are all safe and covered and we can protect our health staff,” she said.