First Nations adults at risk from severe illness after COVID

Adnyamathanha and Narungga man Adam Goodes after his COVID-19 vaccination - A majority, 59 per cent, of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults are at an elevated risk of developing severe illness from COVID-19 due to ongoing health inequities, a major study led by The Australian National University (ANU) has found. The study examined the prevalence of health factors like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and smoking among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults, which all increase the risk of severe illness if an unvaccinated person gets COVID-19. It found more than half of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults have these and other existing conditions that could increase the risk of needing intensive care admission, mechanical ventilation or death if they contract COVID-19 and are not vaccinated. The study was undertaken by researchers and health practitioners at ANU, the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO), the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) and the Lowitja Institute. According to the researchers, their findings reinforce that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians "must remain a priority group" for the nation's COVID-19 vaccine roll-out and broader pandemic response, rather than being simply labelled "vulnerable".   - "The root cause of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' elevated risk of severe COVID-19 illness is health inequity, stemming from colonisation and racism," lead researcher Dr Katie Thurber, from ANU,  said.