Doctors Warn of Public Health Risks as Vaccine Rates Hit New Lows

The AMA said the falling immunisation rates illustrate the loss of trust in vaccines within a portion of the public since COVID-19.

An influenza vaccine in a file photograph. Mario Tama/Getty Images

As vaccination rates continue to fall across the board, the Australian Medical Association (AMA) has raised concerns about the risk of new outbreaks, which could increase pressure on hospitals and affect long-standing protection against serious diseases.

A new AMA report released on Dec. 1, “From coverage to concern: a policy analysis of Australia’s immunisation decline,” describes a country gradually losing the immunity that once kept serious illnesses at bay.