Campaign needed to boost Australian COVID-19 booster uptake: gov't review

CANBERRA, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- An official review of Australia's coronavirus vaccine program has called for continued campaigns to encourage booster uptake.

The review, which was commissioned by the federal government in June, on Tuesday published its report, making eight recommendations including an ongoing booster campaign.

It found that 96 percent of Australians aged 16 and older have received two COVID-19 vaccine doses and 70 percent have received a third.

However, only 40 percent of people who are eligible for a fourth dose have received it.

Jane Halton, the former Department of Health secretary who led the review, said the pandemic still posed a significant threat and that Australia's early success at keeping COVID-19 case and death numbers low "is beginning to wane."

"The need to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 is likely to remain," she said in the report.

"It is not possible to accurately predict the further evolution of the virus and Australia is likely to continue to be challenged, at least in the short term, by emerging variants and new waves of disease."

Australia has spent 8 billion Australian dollars (5.14 billion U.S. dollars) on vaccines.