Business vax tempter call
LOCAL businesses could potentially play an important role in supporting Australia’s Covid-19 vaccination rollout if they followed Qantas’s lead in offering vaccination incentives to help end the country’s lockdowns.
Earlier this week, Qantas offered fully vaccinated adult Australian-based Frequent Flyers 1000 Qantas points or 15 status credits or a $20 flight discount, with members entered in a mega prize draw to win a year’s worth of flights, accommodation and fuel.
Townsville Enterprise and the Townsville Chamber of Commerce addressed the prospect of local businesses offering their own vaccination sweeteners.
Townsville Enterprise chief executive Claudia Brumme-smith said any concept that aimed to get the nation out of lockdowns and border closures was a positive step forward.
“As we’ve heard from all levels of government a highly vaccinated population is our path towards regaining some sort of normality,” Ms Brumme-smith said.
“Concerningly, the con
tinued isolation of Australia from the rest of the world could mean we may miss out on global opportunities.
“We’re already seeing international students flocking to study in Canada and the US instead of Australia and skilled and unskilled workers are moving to Europe and North America.
“Long-term, our nation’s prosperity will suffer if we continue to isolate ourselves
from global economies,” Ms Brumme-smith said.
Townsville Chamber president Michele Falconieri said there was a lack of clarity as to when things would return to what people considered to be “normal”.
“For some businesses, not much has changed, for others the industry has been decimated, and for others the stimulus has provided a boom such that demand and
availability for supplies has created a different issue,” Mr Falconieri said.
“Presently there is no direct correlation between vaccination and an easing of restrictions, with different states having their own views as to how lockdowns will need to be managed, even if target vaccination rates are achieved,” he said.
Until there was unity, clarity and examples set by
the state and federal governments on the issue, he said it was no surprise that businesses and individuals continued to implement ideas and did what they considered to be best for their individual circumstances.
“For Queensland, a clear set of health directives setting out different levels of lockdowns and restrictions required for businesses in hotspot LGAS, and when the
levels are triggered needs to be in place,” he said.
“This would enable businesses to prepare for different levels of restrictions and minimise panic exodus from hotspot LGAS. The present system is confusing and requires businesses to keep up to date with announcements, which is not only a struggle, but an impossibility for some businesses that are already under a lot of pressure just to stay open.”