The Western Sydney Leadership Dialogue is calling on residents of Greater Western Sydney to roll up their sleeves and get the COVID-19 vaccine booster.
The call to arms from the region’s leading not-for-profit think tank follows the release of new data that shows vaccine booster take-up in Greater Western Sydney is lagging behind the rest of Sydney.
New stats published by the Australian Department of Health and Aged Care shows that particularly in the south-west, as many as 40 per cent of residents had not received a third vaccine.
Dialogue Executive Director, Adam Leto, said local communities needed to stay vigilant in the face of rising case numbers.
“One year on from the dramatic increase in COVID case numbers and harsh lockdowns that rocked Greater Western Sydney, it’s concerning to see this drop in the number of people having the third or fourth vaccine,” Mr Leto said.
“While more than 95 per cent of residents in GWS are double dosed, the number drops significantly for the immune-boosting third jab – only 62.1% of GWS residents have received at least three doses, compared to 75.5% for the rest of Sydney.
“As COVID-19 case numbers surge across Australia, getting the third and fourth doses of the COVID-19 vaccine is critical to maximise protection against this highly contagious virus.
“Now is the time for the communities of western Sydney to rally and support each other so we avoid another devasting outbreak and the potential disruptions to lives, livelihoods and the healthcare system we know this virus can cause.”
According to the Australian Government statistics, 20 percent of the LGAs in Greater Western Sydney had not received more than two vaccine doses.
The seven LGAs with the lowest number of 3-plus doses are all in Southwest Sydney: Campbelltown, Wollondilly, Camden, Canterbury-Bankstown, Fairfield, Liverpool, Cumberland.
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Belinda Wallis – Media & Communications Manager
Western Sydney Leadership Dialogue
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We acknowledge and honour Aboriginal People who have cared for Country in Greater Western Sydney for at least 60,000 years and acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which we gather today.
The Western Sydney Leadership Dialogue thanks these Traditional Owners and we pay our respects to their Ancestors and Elders – past, present and emerging.
We also acknowledge the vital role played by our Local Aboriginal Land Councils, the modern custodians for all First Nations people who currently live in our region, home to one of the largest urban Aboriginal populations in Australia.
Further, the Dialogue will support the YES campaign in the Voice to Parliament referendum. This recognises Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of Australia and reflects our pride that Greater Western Sydney is home to one of the largest urban Indigenous populations in this country.
