LET’S DO THIS TOGETHER ...AND DO IT NOW
The sooner we’re jabbed, the sooner we can all be free again, writes Lieutenant General John Frewen
AS co-ordinatorgeneral of Operation Covid Shield, I am constantly talking to people from around the country and from all walks of life to ensure our vaccine rollout program is as effective as possible.
It’s always interesting to hear what motivated a particular person to get vaccinated, or if they haven’t yet had the jab, what would encourage them to do so.
There is a very clear theme to people’s motivation. For people in lockdowns (or who have had to live through them), it’s about getting our freedoms back so we can return to the way of life we enjoyed before the pandemic.
It’s simple things like being able to go out for dinner, instead of getting takeaway. Or going to the hairdresser. Or a mate’s place for a barbecue. Or the footy.
Or swinging a golf club. Or seeing a family member we haven’t been able to see for months. Or getting kids back to school – in part, so they can see their friends again.
Of course, it’s also bigger things such as having the certainty to plan a wedding without fearing it may have to be postponed – yet again!
For others, who are older or who have medical conditions, the motivation might be self-protection – preventing severe Covid-19, which can be a devastating and fatal illness.
I understand all of these motivating factors and it just underscores why it is so important for everyone who is eligible to get vaccinated.
For me, I am looking forward to spending time with my family and friends, knowing that I am protecting them and myself by being double-dosed.
The good news is that we are setting new vaccination records almost every day. And I really think the day when we can start to ease restrictions is now in sight.
The Doherty Institute modelling shows if we can hit the 70 and 80 per cent double-dose marks nationwide, and in every state and territory, we can start to open up the country with less likelihood of having to go back into lockdowns.
As of Thursday, our firstdose nationwide vaccination rate was 69.8 per cent, and for second doses, it was 44.7 per cent.
Approximately 23.7 million vaccine doses had been administered across the country.
We know approximately 80 per cent of Australians are either vaccinated or have indicated an intention to get vaccinated, and the current weekly numbers back that in.
Very importantly, we are protecting the health of our most vulnerable Australians. More than 91 per cent of those 70 and over have had a first dose, and about 72 per cent have had a second dose.
Every residential agedcare facility, nationwide, has had both first and second vaccination clinics visit to protect senior Australians.
We are also implementing a plan to significantly accelerate the rate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians are vaccinated to match – or achieve rates even higher than – the wider population when we start to hit the 70 and 80 per cent rates across the country.
We now have three vaccines approved for use in Australia: Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Moderna. All three are highly effective at reducing the risk of severe illness and death from Covid-19 and all are effective in reducing transmission of the virus.
All three have been approved for use by the Therapeutic Goods Administration, and have been – and will continue to be – incorporated into our rollout program on the advice of the Australian Technical Advisory
Group on Immunisation. Our experts at the TGA and ATAGI are world class, so you can be absolutely reassured the vaccine you are offered has been rigorously assessed for its safety and effectiveness.
An important part of the vaccine rollout is to protect Australian children, and the TGA and ATAGI have approved the use of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for those aged 12 and over.
Getting a jab is now even more convenient, with Moderna being rolled out through pharmacies.
Everyone who gets a jab is not only protecting themselves, but also their family, friends and their community. They also get us closer to the 70 per cent mark, and then the 80 per cent mark, to enable us to safely reopen our country.
Australia has a very proud history of vaccination – from our world-leading immunisation rates for children, to ensuring our country is free of awful diseases such as polio.
I encourage every eligible Australian who is not yet vaccinated against Covid-19 to continue this tradition by rolling up their sleeve to get a Covid jab.
IT’S SIMPLE THINGS LIKE BEING ABLE TO GO OUT FOR DINNER … OR GOING TO THE HAIRDRESSER … OR TO A MATE’S PLACE FOR A BARBECUE … OR TO THE FOOTY