The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners has warned of more positive cases among Indigenous people as more people move across the country during the summer holiday period.
While more than 80 per cent of the population aged over 16 is fully vaccinated, that figure is just 54.5 per cent among Indigenous Australians.
The college's chair of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health Professor Peter O'Mara said as restrictions ease across the country, more cases will be seen in the Indigenous population.
"As Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people already face considerable health inequalities and higher rates of chronic diseases, they are more at risk of severe illness and death from this virus," Prof O'Mara said.
"The fact that there remains a serious gap in vaccine coverage between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and non-Indigenous people in our country is a national shame."
The disparity is even greater in states that have managed to avoid large-scale COVID-19 outbreaks.
While the Indigenous vaccine rate in NSW, the ACT and Victoria is 80 per cent first dose and 70 per cent second, it's below 55 per cent for first dose in Queensland, SA and WA.
Indigenous Australians under 40 also account for a majority of cases.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison admitted earlier this week more was needed to boost Indigenous vaccine rates, especially in WA and Queensland.
"In NSW, the Indigenous rate of vaccinations have been lifting and there's been some really good work there, but that is a challenge we find all around the world," he told Newcastle radio.
The college of GPs said more than 7000 cases had been detected in Indigenous communities in the past three months alone, including 700 hospitalisations and 16 deaths.
Prof O'Mara said the holiday season could not have come at a worse time, due to low vaccine coverage in Indigenous communities.
"It's critical that we do more to achieve high rates of vaccination among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across the country. We cannot leave anyone behind," he said.
"While the tourism is needed, it brings enormous risk to communities not protected by vaccination."
Prof O'Mara has called for greater communication to Indigenous communities to boost immunisation rates.
"We need to know where the biggest gaps are in vaccine coverage and target these areas," he said.
"This requires working together with communities and leaders to tackle the scourge of health misinformation."
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