Vital vaccines for Australian adults

Australia’s child vaccination coverage is world-leading. Our adult coverage is not. Heightened vaccine hesitancy, misinformation, and disinformation following the COVID-19 pandemic has compounded existing challenges. Renewed focus and commitment are required to boost adult vaccination rates and protect the health of Australians.

Vaccine-preventable disease (one that can be prevented or have its severity reduced through vaccination) is a leading cause of avoidable hospitalisation in adults and costs the healthcare system billions each year. Respiratory infections cause unnecessary illness and death in Australian adults. They can also cause lung damage, and serious lung infection in adults living with, and without, lung disease.

In 2024, we surveyed over 3,300 Australians to better understand barriers to adult vaccination, information needs, and support for potential policy measures. Forty percent of respondents reported that they are living with a lung disease, and sixty percent reported that they are not. Respondents are from all Australian states and territories, with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people participating, along with people living in rural and remote areas.

Respondents indicated strong support for increased government action, a desire for clear, individualised information, and simpler, more accessible, vaccine administration. Informed by the findings, we recommend that the Australian Government: 1. Implement adult vaccination targets 2. Recognise Australians living with a lung disease as a priority population for vaccination 3. Invest in multi-strategy and co-designed vaccination awareness campaigns and community education 4. Support primary care to better meet the vaccination information and service needs of Australians 5. Make clinically recommended vaccinations free

We launched this report at Parliament House in Canberra in August 2024, with politicians, health department staff, and two consumers living with a lung disease in attendance. We will continue to use the consumer evidence obtained from the survey to fight for better adult vaccination policy and programs.