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Importance for workers to be prioritised to be vaccinated against Covid-19

3 Aug 2021

Q. Thinking about the safety and welfare of Australians, how important to you is it that each of the following workers are prioritised to be vaccinated against Covid-19?

  TOTAL: Extremely important + Very important TOTAL:

Not that important + Not at all important

Extremely important Very important Fairly important Not that important Not at all important
Emergency services workers (e.g. firefighters, police, paramedics) 86% 6% 70% 16% 8% 3% 3%
Healthcare workers 86% 5% 71% 15% 9% 3% 2%
Aged and disability care workers 85% 5% 68% 17% 10% 3% 3%
Quarantine and border workers 84% 5% 66% 18% 11% 2% 3%
Teachers and teachers’ aides 79% 7% 49% 30% 14% 4% 3%
Essential retail workers (e.g. supermarket workers, pharmacy workers) 77% 7% 48% 29% 16% 4% 3%
Social and support services workers (e.g. family violence and sexual assault workers, community housing workers) 77% 6% 50% 27% 17% 3% 3%
Transport, postal and warehousing workers (e.g. Couriers, food delivery workers) 75% 8% 42% 33% 17% 5% 3%
Early childhood educators 74% 8% 46% 29% 17% 5% 3%
Construction workers 52% 17% 26% 26% 31% 12% 5%
  • Most people say it is extremely important for emergency service workers (70%), healthcare workers (71%), aged and disability care workers (68%), and quarantine and border staff (66%) to be prioritised for Covid-19 vaccines.
  • About half (49%) say it is extremely important for teachers and teacher’s aides to be prioritised for vaccines, and 46% think the same for early childhood educators.
  • The importance of vaccinating those working in education is similar to essential retail workers (48% extremely important), social and support services workers (50%), and transport, postal and warehousing workers (42%).
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