Aboriginal vaccination rates rising

Outgoing RFS team Tim Etheridge, Rachel White, David English, Matt James, Lachlan Hicks and Jenny Ellis (centre at front) with Pat Canty and Louise Brown. PHOTO TWH

COVID-19 vaccination rates for Aboriginal people in the Western NSW Local Health District were among the highest in NSW and continuing to climb, according to the latest data.

At October 24, 77.6 per cent of Aboriginal people aged 16 years and older in the Western NSW LHD had received a first dose of vaccine and 67.1 per cent had received two doses, well above the total NSW figures for Aboriginal people.

Outside of the Western LHD, those rates were 68.4 per cent for the first dose, and 58.2 per cent for the second dose.

The good news is that vaccination rates for Aboriginal children aged 12-15 years in the Western LHD were 70.1 per cent for first doses and 55.8 per cent for second doses compared to 59.9 for first doses and 41.2 for second doses state-wide.

Western NSW Executive Director of Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing, Brendon Cutmore, said he was very proud of how communities had responded to the need to get vaccinated.

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