November 30, 2021
The South Burnett and its neighbouring regions have seen a significant upswing in COVID-19 vaccination rates over the past two months.
New data released by the Federal Department of Health shows that between October 3 and November 28, first vaccination rates in the South Burnett increased by 25.4 percentage points, while the double vaccination rate rose by 30.4 percentage points.
This means that as of Sunday, 85.8 per cent of eligible South Burnett residents have now received their first dose of COVID vaccine, and 70.3 per cent are now fully vaccinated.
This compares to 60.4 per cent partially vaxxed – and barely 39.9 per cent fully vaxxed – just eight weeks ago.
The uptake figures are similar in Cherbourg, where first vaccination rates leapt by 28.7 percentage points and full vaccinations by 21.7 percentage points during the same period.
While Cherbourg still lags behind the South Burnett, 58.9 per cent of eligible residents have now had their first vaccination and 40.7 per cent are now double vaxxed.
The figures for neighbouring Gympie, North Burnett, Western Downs, Toowoomba and Somerset Regional Council areas are similar, with an average rise of between 19 and 24 percentage points in first vaccinations and a rise of 22 to 30 percentage points in double vaccinations over the same time period.
Toowoomba currently leads the regional vaccination pack with 90.8 per cent of eligible residents now partially vaccinated, and 79.3 per cent fully vaxxed.
Vaccination rates in Local Government Areas, as at November 28:
- Cherbourg – 58.9 per cent (single dose), 40.7 per cent (fully vaccinated)
- Gympie – 82.7 / 70.4
- North Burnett – 79.9 / 68.5
- Somerset – 85.1 / 73.1
- South Burnett – 85.8 / 70.3
- Toowoomba – 90.8 / 79.3
- Western Downs – 85.1 / 71.4
In comparison, the rates in Brisbane are: 88.2 / 81.3
Vaccination rates in Local Government Areas, as at October 3:
- Cherbourg – 30.2 per cent (single dose), 19.0 per cent (fully vaccinated)
- Gympie – 63.3 / 44.3
- North Burnett – 60.9 / 46.4
- Somerset – 63.4 / 45.2
- South Burnett – 60.4 / 39.9
- Toowoomba – 70.1 / 49.7
- Western Downs – 60.6 / 40.8
* * *
On Tuesday, the State Government announced that COVID-19 vaccinations will become mandatory for more Queensland workers in the next three weeks.
School staff and workers in both state and private schools, early childhood centres, correctional centres, youth detention facilities and airports must have at least one vaccination dose by December 17.
They will have to be double-vaccinated by January 23, in time for the start of the 2022 school term.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the decision would protect people who could not be vaccinated.
“We know that children under 12 cannot access the vaccination and we want to do everything we can to protect these young people,” she said.
[UPDATED with correction]
