Jab choice is yours but here’s mine

AUSTRALIANS love choice. We are a people who can see through BS at a thousand paces and are wary of others telling us what to do. That is why last year I welcomed the federal government’s approach to a diversified portfolio for vaccine procurement.

No one could have predicted whether any vaccine would succeed in the COVID arms race but to have proactively backed in three of the most successful options (AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Novavax) out of 150 candidates originally in the race is remarkable.

This approach has ensured we have a strong stable of vaccines fit for purpose for the needs of the population.

The federal government has ensured the vaccine rollout is both voluntary and free so Australians can make the choice about vaccine uptake for themselves.

So which vaccine would I choose if I had the choice?

With strong evidence that both the AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines offer the same effectiveness when it comes to protection from dying from COVID it is hard to choose between them on that front.

Both will help turn COVID-19 from a deadly disease into a nuisance. This is the current main aim of the vaccine rollout in Australia, not eradication.

High vaccination rates in our most vulnerable populations are key to keeping them safe.

That is because the threat of COVID-19 to Australia is here to stay while it still rages around the world. In fact, it seems more than likely that we will never eradicate COVID globally – rather we will need regular vaccination to be protected from its deadly consequences, as we do for the flu virus each year.

Widespread uptake of the vaccine will lessen the threat of outbreaks and help us more quickly reconnect with the rest of the world.

So, the comparative effectiveness of both vaccines on offer is not in question.

What about the risk profile? With more than 32 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine already delivered, it is now clear there is a rare but serious risk of clotting in about one in 250,000 people.

To put that into perspective, you are more likely to be killed driving to your vaccination appointment than you are to die from receiving the jab itself. A history of other clotting disorders is not a contraindication to getting the AstraZeneca vaccine.

It is also worth noting that the Pfizer vaccine is not without risk. Reports suggest there is a roughly one in 100,000 risk of anaphylaxis.

A history of anaphylaxis is not a contraindication to receiving the Pfizer vaccine but it is recommended by some health authorities that you wait 30 minutes rather than 15 minutes after vaccine administration as a precaution. And since every vaccine carries with it a risk of anaphylaxis, it is recommended that injection only takes place where resuscitation equipment is on hand.

Since all vaccines have their own risk profile, each person needs to balance the risk of whether to get vaccinated for themselves.

So where does that leave the rollout of Australia’s COVID vaccine program? I welcome the prime minister’s move to an operational footing for national cabinet with it now meeting twice weekly.

This will be vital to ensure the

YOU ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE KILLED DRIVING TO YOUR VACCINATION APPOINTMENT THAN YOU ARE TO DIE FROM RECEIVING THE JAB ITSELF

rollout of Australia’s largest public health program is as efficient and effective as possible.

Australians have the choice as to whether they get the vaccine.

But I know what I will be doing. As soon as my age category is given the green light, I will be hotfooting it down as fast as possible to my local provider to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine.

That’s because I believe the benefits of getting vaccinated now far outweigh the risk of clotting.

I want to do my bit to help Australia get one small step closer to a safer and more secure postCOVID world.