Medical experts have warned the estimated one in three of Australians refusing to get vaccinated represent the “greatest risk” to the nation’s health and another deadly wave of COVID-19.
There are calls today for the Morrison Government to launch a celebrity-led campaign to get Australia vaccinated after a shock new poll suggested high levels of vaccine hesitancy.
Almost one-third of adult Australians say they are unlikely to be vaccinated against COVID-19 according to a new poll in the Nine newspapers.
“Disappointing to see such sentiments. Low vaccination coverage is the greatest risk to health in Australia today,’’ Victoria’s chief medical officer Brett Sutton said.
RELATED: New plan for Aussie travel freedom
RELATED: Hope for Aussies wanting an overseas holiday
The warning of vaccine hesitancy in Australia follows a string of countries including India where second and third outbreaks have sparked more lockdowns and deaths after political leaders were previously hailed for successfully managing the pandemic
In Taiwan, a country previously declared ‘COVID-free’ and boasting of ‘world class tracing capabilities’ was also slow to vaccinate and is now battling deadly outbreaks.
7:30 host Leigh Sales questioned why there wasn’t a national campaign to get vaccinated.
“How come there is no national campaign telling people to get vaccinated? I’ve literally seen more marketing for @HamiltonMusical than I have for public health,’’ she tweeted.
The new poll suggests one of the reasons why some Australians are reluctant to get the jab is that while the borders remain closed there’s little chance of catching COVID.
According to the research company Resolve Strategic, 15 per cent of adults surveyed said they were “not at all likely” and 14 per cent “not very likely” to be vaccinated.
By contrast, only 14 per cent of total respondents said they were “extremely likely” and 21 per cent “very likely” or “fairly likely”.
Responding to the poll, Prime Minister Scott Morrison stressed that the vast majority of Australians were happy to get vaccinated.
“70 per cent of Australians do want to get vaccinated,’’ he told reporters in Melbourne.
“And I am looking forward to them taking up that opportunity. Particularly if you’re over 50 I would encourage you to do that.”
Australia’s international borders will be reopened in 2022 under a “cautious approach” according to the federal budget
The Morrison Government has conceded the big question remains the threat that people who are vaccinated may still be able to catch and spread COVID — even if the vaccine means it will no longer kill them.
Booster shots may also be required to improve the immunity of travellers who go to regions with new variants that are immune to the first generation vaccines.
But the new poll suggests some voters believe even that timetable is too optimistic.
One in three voters in the Resolve — 33 per cent — believed it was “too optimistic” to open borders on that timetable while 43 per cent believed it was “about right” to open from the middle of next year.
A new 2022 deadline to reopen borders represents a significant delay to the original plan to reopen borders in October, 2020.
Health and Fitness | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site