Across Australia, hope and optimism for the end of lockdowns are waning amid surging case numbers in some states.
Today, NSW recorded their highest daily case numbers since the pandemic began, with 633 new locally transmitted cases of COVID-19, all of which are confirmed to be the highly infectious delta strain. The state Premier has conceded that "COVID zero" seems unlikely at this point.
It's nearly 18 months into the pandemic and Australia remains far behind other Western nations in our vaccination efforts.
But our rollout has picked up significantly since June, when NSW's deadly outbreak began.
So, in an effort to find the good news on a bad news day, here are five quick facts about Australia's COVID-19 vaccine rollout to make you feel better.
1. There are fewer than 100 days until 80 per cent of the Australian population is fully vaccinated.
Based on the current seven-day average of second doses, 80 per cent of Australia's eligible population will be fully vaccinated by November 25, according to data compiled by covidlive.com.au.
That's 99 days away.
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For NSW, who is currently in the middle of their worst wave yet, it's likely to be even sooner. Based on the current rate, there are 86 days until 80 per cent of the eligible population is fully vaccinated.
Once that benchmark is reached, Australia will enter Phase C where only "highly targeted" lockdowns will exist. It's also at this point that all vaccinated Australians will be exempt from domestic travel restrictions.
2. The vaccination uptake is rapidly increasing.
At the start of August, about 171,000 doses were being administered in Australia each day, according to ABC. In less than three weeks, that seven-day average has increased to about 230,000 doses each day.
It continues to rise. Yesterday, there was nearly 280,000 doses.
This is partly due to an increased uptake of young people (aged between 16 and 39 years old), particularly in NSW and Victoria. In fact, more than one in 20 young people got a first dose just last week in NSW.
3. Tomorrow, we'll likely hit the benchmark of having 50 per cent of the population who have had their first dose.
With the vaccine rollout increasing as much as it has, it's likely that as of tomorrow, more than one in two Australians will have had their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
This is a significant jump from the start of July, when only 30 per cent of the population had received their first jab.
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4. Just 1 per cent of locally acquired cases have been fully vaccinated.
According to NSW Health, where the majority of locally acquired cases have emerged since June, just one per cent of cases have been fully vaccinated, proving the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines.
The vaccines have also proved to be nearly 90 per cent effective in preventing ICU admission.
5. More than a million extra Pfizer vaccinations have arrived in Australia this week.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that one million Pfizer vaccine doses would be arriving from Poland this week.
More than 500,000 of the doses will go to the 12 Sydney LGAs who are currently experiencing high levels of community transmission. It will particularly be directed to young people, who have been identified as the "peak transmitters" of COVID-19.
Those 12 LGAs are: Bayside, Blacktown, Burwood, Campbelltown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield, Georges River, Liverpool, Parramatta, Strathfield and Penrith.
Feature image: Getty.
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