Australia: Protesters take to streets in major cities over COVID vaccine mandate

Protesters in a huge number assembled in western Sydney as part of nationwide marches against mandated COVID-19 vaccines on Sunday. As per the reports of 9News, they formed a long line along the Parramatta river's banks, holding anti-vaccine placards that said, 'No mandatory vaccine'.

There have been no arrests, according to NSW Police. On Sunday, New South Wales registered 244 new cases of COVID-19 and one fatality linked to the virus. In NSW, 93.9% of eligible residents have received one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, with the state's entire vaccination rate presently at 89.7%. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet announced on Monday that a new vaccination clinic will open in Granville, Sydney's west, on Monday. The clinic will also offer booster shots to anyone aged 18 and above.

NSW has one of the highest vaccination rates in the world

Perrottet stated that NSW has one of the highest vaccination rates in the world. According to him, COVID-19 vaccination clinics have been critical in accelerating the vaccination rates, allowing them to return to normal in a safe and controlled manner. He also said that they are leading the country out of the pandemic, and this new centre will increase the number of NSW Health vaccination sites around the state as they roll out their booster programme and make the final push to reach the 95% mark, if not higher, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.

In hospitals, 269 people are being treated for COVID-19, 52 are in intensive care units, and 24 are on ventilators. Dr Jeremy McAnulty from NSW that out of 52 people who are in intensive care, 41 have not been vaccinated, three have only one dosage, and eight have received all of the vaccines. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, during the most recent reporting period, a total of 70,276 tests were conducted.

Anti-vaccine protests in Melbourne and Darwin

According to 9News, anti-vaccine protests took place in Melbourne and Darwin as well. More than 1,000 people marched along Bourke Street to Parliament House in Melbourne, protesting the Victorian government's vaccine mandates and the proposed COVID-19 pandemic bill. They chanted "free Victoria," as they marched. Demonstrators also gathered in Darwin, Australia to express their displeasure with the Northern Territory's mandated COVID-19 vaccine.

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