As the government prepares to offer a fresh round of booster shots for all adults, the latest government figures show less than half of the eligible residents in Wollongong have taken government health advice to get four COVID-19 vaccinations.
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This week, Health Minister Mark Butler said the government had accepted advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) allowing all adults who have not had a COVID-19 booster or a confirmed case of the virus in the past six months will be able to get another booster.
This recommendation will kick in on February 20, irrespective of how many prior doses that person has received.
Up until now, all adults aged over 30 have been able to access at least four shots, while those under 30 have been able to get three doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Figures from the health department show that 71.5 per cent of Wollongong residents aged over 16 have had three shots, while only 47.9 per cent of those aged over 30 have had four doses.
Almost all residents, across all LGAs in the Illawarra, have had two doses.
According to the figures from February 1, Kiama is among the most vaccinated LGAs in Australia.
It is one of only eight LGAs in the country where more than 60 per cent of people have had four doses, and is ranked seventh with 60.6 per cent of people quadruple dosed (compared to all named LGAs, noting data is not available for regions with small populations).
About four out of five Kiama residents have had three doses.
Shellharbour is the least vaccinated area in the Illawarra, with 66.7 per cent triple dosed and 44.2 per cent of those eligible taking up the advice to get four shots.
Wit hthe new advice, an additional booster will not be provided for under-18s, except where children aged five and older have health conditions that would put them at risk of severe illness.
Omicron-specific mRNA booster vaccines are preferred over other vaccines, with four million doses available now and another 10 million arriving later this month.
Aged-care providers will be encouraged to bring local GPs and pharmacists into their facilities to deliver the booster doses.