‘Australian Vaccine Ad Campaign to Target Community Concerns’

Australia’s Health Minister Greg Hunt said the government would target young women, migrants and indigenous Australians with its coronavirus vaccine advertising campaign. Mr Hunt said on Sunday that the AU$24 million (FJ$37.34m) campaign, which will be rolled out within weeks before vaccinations begin in mid-February, would be “a very detailed information programme”. Research commissioned by the government has found that about 80 per cent of Australians are willing to receive vaccines approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) but that women aged 30-39 were the most likely to hold safety concerns. Hunt said the campaign would seek to reassure Australians’ confidence in vaccines. “The Department of Health invests in understanding community concerns, and is developing information and communication to meet the needs of the community, including pregnant women and young families,” he told Nine Entertainment newspapers. “We are confident, given Australia’s high vaccination coverage rates, Australians will take up a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine in equally high numbers.” The government has repeatedly ruled out following the lead of other countries in granting emergency approval for vaccines. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced last Thursday that the first vaccines would be administered in February with frontline workers, people with disabilities and the elderly to be prioritised.

“Vaccination in 2021 is a key component... of how we’re dealing with the pandemic here in Australia,” he said.

Feedback: