‘Tens of thousands of young children unprotected’ as immunisation coverage hits five-year low in Australia

Childhood vaccination coverage in Australia has fallen for the fifth consecutive year, new data from NCIRS show. Experts warn that without timely, coordinated implementation of the National Immunisation Strategy (NIS) 2025–2030, this downward trend could lead to avoidable health consequences and disease outbreaks.
 

Children increasingly vulnerable to diseases that are at new global highs

In 2025, full vaccination coverage fell to 90.5% at 12 months, 88.4% at 24 months and 92.5% at 60 months of age – declines of 4.3, 3.7 and 2.3 percentage points, respectively, since 2020.

‘Around 80,000 Australian children were not fully vaccinated at these three age milestones in 2025,’ said NCIRS Director Professor Kristine Macartney.

‘These data highlight a growing number of missed or delayed vaccinations across multiple age groups, meaning year on year, tens of thousands of young children are without protection against diseases that remain a real and serious risk.’

Against a backdrop of falling global vaccination coverage, there has been a resurgence of whooping cough (pertussis), diphtheria and measles cases, along with recent outbreaks of polio in nearby regions. This trend is also emerging in Australia, with infant deaths from whooping cough reported for the first time in a decade.

In the context of global outbreaks, even small declines in childhood measles vaccination coverage can contribute to an increased risk of measles outbreaks.

‘Measles is one of the most contagious diseases – and it is not a benign infection. Around 1 in 20 children develop pneumonia and about 1 in 1,000 can develop encephalitis, which can cause lifelong disability or death,’ noted Associate Professor Frank Beard, Associate Director at NCIRS.
 

Declining protection against HPV-related cancers

Adolescent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination coverage dropped to 78.7% in girls and 75.6% in boys in 2025 – well below the 2030 target of 90% outlined in Australia's strategy to achieve cervical cancer elimination by 2035. 

‘Two in every 10 adolescents did not receive a dose of the HPV vaccine, signalling a serious gap in protection against avoidable cancers,’ said Associate Professor Beard. 
 

Equity gaps persist

These data also highlight ongoing inequities, particularly the marked decreases in vaccination coverage and on-time vaccination in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and adolescents. These declines reinforce the need for culturally safe, community-led solutions to address barriers and improve equity of access.

‘Australia is moving further away from the high and equitable immunisation coverage needed to protect individuals, families and communities,’ emphasised Professor Macartney. 
 

Addressing declines in vaccine acceptance and access is key to improving uptake

The second annual National Vaccination Insights survey found that parental beliefs and concerns about vaccines (acceptance barriers) overtook practical issues associated with vaccinations (access barriers) as the main drivers of missed childhood vaccinations.

NCIRS has identified evidence‑based, validated strategies aligned with the NIS to address these barriers, rebuild trust, reverse declining coverage and prevent immediate and long‑term public health consequences.

‘It’s time to strengthen coordination and implementation of key actions under the NIS to restore vaccine confidence, close equity gaps and protect Australians from these awful and entirely preventable diseases into the future,’ Professor Macartney concluded.
 

Access the data summary

Access the National Immunisation Strategy on a page