COVID-19 Vaccination Speed Slows, New South Wales PM Warns Residents Reluctant To Vaccinate

JAKARTA - The Australian State of New South Wales (NSW) government said the state's COVID-19 vaccination rate is slowing as first dose coverage approaches 80 percent, urging those who haven't been vaccinated to get one immediately, or risk losing their freedom when restrictions are relaxed.

New South Wales Prime Minister Gladys Berejiklian has pledged to ease some restrictions for the state's 8 million residents, after a two-dose vaccination rate of 70 percent is expected to be reached by the middle of next month. So far, about 46 percent of the state's adult population have been fully vaccinated, above the national average of 42 percent.

"For those of you who choose not to be vaccinated, it's your choice, but don't expect to do everything vaccinated people do when we get to 80 percent," Berejiklian warned residents reluctant to be vaccinated at a news conference in Sydney, the state's capital. citing Reuters Monday 13 September.

"Our vaccination rate continues to increase, but there is a slight decline. So we encourage everyone to come forward and get vaccinated."

Some restrictions were eased for fully vaccinated residents in Sydney from Monday. Five people will be allowed to meet outside, while members of the same family in 12 of Sydney's hardest-hit suburbs can gather outside for two hours.

Australia is scrambling to contain the outbreak of the highly contagious Delta variant of the new coronavirus that began in Sydney in June, spread to Melbourne and Canberra, putting nearly half of Australia's 25 million total population under lockdown.

Meanwhile, Lt. Gen. John Frewen, head of the federal government's vaccination task force, said there was enough vaccine by mid-October to fully inoculate everyone who qualifies. The COVID-19 vaccine delivery effort was expanded on Monday to cover about one million children aged 12-15 years.

To note, 1,257 new cases of COVID-19 infection were recorded in New South Wales on Monday, while neighboring Victoria reported 473 new infections, the biggest one-day increase for 2021.

Kangaroo Country's total recorded around 75,300 cases of COVID-19 infection, with 1,098 deaths, although the death rate in the latest outbreak was lower than last year.