Kimberley COVID vax rates climb slowly towards 80 per cent target as deadline approaches

As WA’s February 5 opening up date draws close vaccine rates across the Kimberley continue to climb, however have not reached the 80 per cent target needed to avoid restrictions in the region.

Some 71.2 per cent of Kimberley residents over the age of 15 are considered fully vaccinated, with 80.3 per cent having had their first dose.

That represents a 1.3 per cent jump from the previous week which — if the uptake remains consistent — would have the Kimberley on track to reach the 80 per cent target set by the State Government in the second week of March, about one month after the WA border reopens

The numbers pale in comparison to almost every other region in WA, with the Goldfields sitting at 78.7 per cent full vaccinated.

The Pilbara is the only region lagging behind the Kimberley, with the East Pilbara sitting at 56.9 per cent double vaccinated and the West Pilbara at 54.8 per cent.

WA Premier Mark McGowan has previously warned of harsh restrictions on the unvaccinated, should any region not reach 80 per cent fully vaccinated by the February 5 border opening day.

The restrictions include barring unvaccinated from attending pubs, restaurants and bottle shops — essentially limiting them to grocery shopping, with a mask.

It comes after the Perth and Peel region on January 16 were plunged back into mask-wearing restrictions amid a spike in omicron variant cases linked to previously known positives.

At time of print, there were 112 confirmed active cases in WA, brining the State’s total number of COVID-19 cases to 1297.