Vaccines plea: Stay the course

STAY calm and get vaccinated.

That’s the plea from Gold Coast GPs as the federal government’s messaging around the AstraZeneca (AZ) Covid-19 vaccine changes – again.

“We GPs are bracing ourselves for another tsunami of questions, confusion and vaccine hesitancy,” said Dr Sonu Haikerwal, from the Upper Coomera Respiratory Clinic.

“The messaging has been very disappointing throughout this vaccine rollout. There is no good or bad vaccine.”

It comes as the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation recommends the AZ vaccine for over 60s only because of rare bloodclotting side-effects.

But according to Gold Coast Primary Health Care director Dr Lisa Beecham, the risk of clots from AZ is still small in those aged 60 and over, about 0.2 per 100,000.

“This is smaller than the risk of a fatal car crash which is 4-5 per 100,000,” she said.

“If you catch Covid and you are over 60 you have a higher chance of going to hospital and death, so get vaccinated.”

Dr Kat McLean said residents must have their second AZ dose, saying there was no recommendation to combine doses and the risk of clots were lower for second doses.

“Be kind to GP clinic teams, we’re doing our best and information only flows to us as it hits the media, we don’t get any forewarning.”