I FEAR there is a general apathy towards COVID-19 vaccinations.
The jab is free, and potentially life-saving, but it seems many people are in no rush to roll up their sleeve.
While millions around the world are scrambling to get their first doses of the vaccines, the Australian Federal Government faces an enormous challenge in hitting its vaccination targets before the end of the year.
And a big part of that will be convincing the majority of its population to play the team game.
Back in January, the Sunraysia Daily ran an online poll asking readers whether they would get the jab when it became available.
The question attracted 545 votes, with 56.51 per cent of respondents saying they would get vaccinated, while 43.49 per cent said they would turn it down.
The result is not uncommon in areas like Mildura that have been virtually virus free since the pandemic started.
An opinion poll in the Adelaide Advertiser last weekend revealed only half of all South Australians said they would definitely get vaccinated, with almost one in three saying they either won’t get the jab, or “maybe” they will.
The results don’t mean SA is full of anti-vaxxers, because the poll showed just 3 per cent of respondents agreed “it’s against my principles/beliefs to get vaccinated”.
But it spoke to a lack of urgency that the government must overcome, particularly with virus numbers across the country virtually sitting at zero.
The three biggest vaccine hesitation factors listed in the opinion poll were concerns about side effects, what’s seen as inadequate testing of vaccines and the impact on long-term health.
A growing number of European countries — including Germany, France, Italy and Spain — suspended use of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine this week over reports of dangerous blood clots in some recipients, though the company and international regulators say there is no evidence the shot is to blame.
Other countries that have also put a temporary halt on the vaccine include Denmark, which was the first, as well as Ireland, Thailand, the Netherlands, Norway, Iceland, Congo and Bulgaria. Canada and Britain are standing by the vaccine for now.
Australia is pushing ahead with the roll-out of AstraZeneca, confident it is completely safe.
But in terms of building community confidence as the Federal Government details its new plans for the roll-out, the timing of this week’s news couldn’t be worse.
Mildura doctor Phil Webster said it was not surprising the disaffected ‘anti-vaxxer’ vote rated highly in the Sunraysia Daily‘s poll.
He could well be right, and when the vaccines become available to the general population, it will be fascinating to see what the take-up is like.
For the sake of our country’s health and economy, we need the percentage to be high.
The Federal Government faces a tough sell, but it needs to get its message through loud and clear.
While vaccines may be a personal choice, they are for our greater good, so we need to adopt a more selfless attitude.
Personally, it should be a simple decision.
Do you want to better protect yourself and your family from a deadly disease?
Do that, and we can all get on with life.
