As Western Australia's third COVID-19 vaccine dose rate slumps, experts are urging the community to keep getting boosted.
The state is still leading the country with more than 82 per cent of over 16s triple-dosed, but that rate has shifted less than two per cent in the past month.
Pharmacist Anthony Masi has seen the drop in demand firsthand at his Bull Creek store, and said a variety of factors have likely had an impact, including removing vaccination requirements for many workers.
"The removal of the mandate has taken [away] that requirement for people to get vaccinated, they're thinking 'if I don't have to do it, I won't do it," he said.
"Also, you can't get vaccinated for three months after you've had COVID, and we've had significant increases in infections, so that's also affecting the immunisation rates."
Figures from the Pharmacy Guild of Australia's WA branch suggest the state's pharmacies are delivering around 1,300 to 1,500 COVID-19 vaccines a day now, compared to 12,000 to 13,000 in January.
Flu vaccines are instead the top request, amid a free vaccine initiative from the state government — pharmacies have delivered nearly 275,000 flu vaccines, up from 182,000 in 2021.
Third dose rate stalls
WA's third-dose COVID-19 vaccine rate jumped dramatically at the start of the year, after eligibility opened up to more people from January 4.
But after jumps of more than 30 and 20 per cent in the early months of 2022, progress has slowed.
The third-dose rate is well below the second-dose rate, which sits at more than 95 per cent of West Australians over 12.
Deakin University Chair in Epidemiology Catherine Bennett said there was a sense things were "getting back to normal".
"I think people who were really worried went and had it early, and I think other people probably put it off, because they weren't worried or in fact had an infection," she said.
UWA Public Health lecturer Barbara Nattabi said fatigue was likely a factor.
"For two years we've been on high alert, worried about contracting COVID-19," she said.
"People are tiring of the pandemic, we're getting used to the numbers.
"Initially when we had 4,000 cases on our way up, that was shocking, but because we're on our way down, people are thinking 'okay, we're past the peak'… so there's no longer that anxiety to be vigilant, wear masks, get boosters."
State may have 'hit a wall'
Dr Nattabi said it was important now for governments to find out what could be done to get third dose rates up.
"The ones who are going to get one have got one, so I think we've basically hit a wall," she said.
The lecturer said health literacy issues could come into play.
"Sometimes we make the assumption that people don't want to get the vaccine, but a lot of people might not understand why they have to get the booster," she said.
"They might have understood why they have to get the first vaccine, possibly the second, but why they have to get the third or fourth might be a question that has not been answered for some populations."
Dr Nattabi said there were also pockets of communities that had healthcare access issues, which needed to be investigated.
As of June 19, federal health data showed the East Pilbara, Goldfields, Gosnells, Kimberley, Kwinana, Serpentine-Jarrahdale, Swan and Wanneroo areas all sat around the high 70s for percentage of eligible people over 16 who had received more than two doses, slightly below the state figure.
But booster rates for Indigenous people remain much lower. Just 56.8 per cent of Indigenous people in the Goldfields-Esperance region have had their third dose, and 63 per cent of those in Swan.
"We have a lot to celebrate, it's not doom and gloom, but it's important for the government to find out about the remaining people who haven't been boosted — is there something that can be done?" Dr Nattabi said.
Winter months a concern
With most of winter still to go, Professor Bennett said booster vaccines were a critical part of protecting the community against COVID-19.
"We're living with another pathogen in our community — it's an important consideration through winter, when we do mix more indoors, we're more at risk of spread," she said.
"We see that every normal year with colds and flus, but now we have COVID in the mix as well."
Professor Bennett said boosters offered a "cross-reactive immunity against Omicron that we didn't have with the first two doses", which could also offer protection from other variants to come.
Dr Nattabi pointed out that, while Western Australia's COVID-19 cases had dropped, thousands were still being reported every day.
"I think we're complacent considering we still have two months of winter," she said.
The Federal Government launched an $11 million campaign this week to encourage people to get vaccinated for both COVID-19 and the flu, highlighting the 'double threat' of community transmission of the two.
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners president Karen Price welcomed the campaign.
"Unfortunately some complacency has set in, and people who are eligible to receive their COVID-19 vaccine or booster have opted not to do so," she said.
"It's vital these patients heed the new government campaign and see their GP as soon as possible to stay up to date with their vaccinations."
Boosters give best protection
A spokesperson for West Australian Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said the delay to the full border opening by a month had enabled tens of thousands more people to get third-dose vaccinated.
They said anyone eligible for their third dose should get it as soon as possible.
"We know that three doses provide the best protection against the Omicron strain," the spokesperson said.
"Even if you've previously had COVID, it is very important to have your third dose, as vaccination is the best form of protection."
Professor Bennett said this included people who had a mild experience with the virus.
"Every week that goes by, we learn more and more about the risks associated with infection, and also with repeat infection," she said.
"The booster gives you a different type of protection — people who've had both infection and a vaccine have a good immune response, better than if you just had infection or just had the vaccine.
"Putting off infections as much as you can, even that two to three months where you get half the risk of having an infection if you have your booster, that's worth it."
