Push to get 80pc of SA population vaccinated as COVID jab made available to over-50s

SA’s top doc says at least 80 per cent of our population needs to be vaccinated to avoid lockdowns and new restrictions, as the jab is made available from today to all over 50s.

All South Australians aged over 50 can start receiving COVID-19 vaccinations from Monday, in a major milestone for the state’s fight against the virus.

Chief public health officer Professor Nicola Spurrier said authorities wanted at least 80 per cent of the population to be vaccinated, adding that was the best way to avoid lockdowns and new pandemic restrictions. Click here for 10 things you need to know about the rollout.

Prof Spurrier moved to reassure people of the safety of the AstraZeneca jab – following links to rare blood clots – urging all those eligible to roll up their sleeves.

Scott Morrison last month announced people aged under 50 would be prioritised for the Pfizer jab, instead of AstraZeneca, because of the potential links to blood clots.

Prof Spurrier warned against complacency, saying the lack of community transmission in SA did not reduce the need to be protected against COVID-19.

“The most important thing South Australians can do to ensure we remain in the best possible position is to roll up to get vaccinated when it is their turn,” she said.

“Without COVID in our community people may be reluctant to get vaccinated, but the vaccines save lives and are an essential part of tackling this global pandemic.

“We are less likely to need measures like widespread requirements for isolation, lockdowns and border closures if people roll up to get fully vaccinated.”

Chief public health officer Professor Nicola Spurrier. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Emma Brasier

According to SA Health, the blood clotting syndrome that has been linked to the AstraZeneca jab is “extremely rare”, affecting an estimated four to six people for every million people who receive the first dose of the vaccine.

“Australia’s vaccine safety and regulatory process is world class and people can be confident that the vaccines approved for use are safe and effective,” Prof Spurrier, pictured, said.

“While the Pfizer vaccine is preferred in adults aged under 50 years, the AstraZeneca vaccine remains safe and is recommended to be given to people aged 50 years and over.”

An AstraZeneca clinic opens on Monday at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital for people 50 years or older.

The Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network will also open four vaccination clinics on Monday, while another is planned for Ceduna Town Hall, on the state’s Far West Coast.

The state’s first mass-vaccination hub at the Adelaide Showground, Wayville, will become a dual Pfizer and AstraZeneca clinic from next Monday, when up to 3000 jabs will be delivered a week. Another two mass-vaccination hubs are planned in Adelaide within weeks.

All patients aged over 50 will be able to visit their GP clinic for a jab in a fortnight. A date on when the rest of the population can get a jab has not been revealed.

SA Health has 35,000 AstraZeneca vials in stock. National cabinet was last week told a significant delivery of vaccines was expected in a few weeks. As of May 1, South Australia had administered 60,139 vaccine doses. The national figure now stands at more than 2.2 million doses.

Health Minister Stephen Wade said SA had completed 9.8 doses per 100 people – the highest per capita rate of any mainland state.

“The level of vaccination in South Australia continues to be above our share of the population, and opening more clinics across the state will help us continue our safe, steady scale up of the vaccine rollout,” Mr Wade said.

Separate figures show SA Health has been forced to discard almost 1800 vaccine vials, based on a total average wastage rate of 3 per cent.

Prof Spurrier warned the COVID risk remained, with data showing 17 of last week’s 21 sick travellers arrived in SA from India or Pakistan.

“While international travel remains restricted, there is still a serious risk of COVID in South Australia,” she said.

“In line with the increasing cases in our medi-hotels, we are seeing different variants and mutations of the virus, which is also a concern.”

Two new cases were recorded in SA on Sunday, both of which were already in a medi-hotel. There are 33 active cases in the state, including two people in hospital.

Complacency holding us back

Dentist Andrew South has witnessed a worrying trend of complacency among South Australians when it comes to COVID-19 vaccination – and says it’s holding us back from returning to normal life.

Dr South, who practises at Cross Road Dental, says based on conversations with patients and staff, the state faces an uphill battle to get 80 per cent of the population vaccinated.

He says only about 50 per cent of people he has spoken to are certain they’ll roll up their sleeves.

The other half either have concerns about its safety or efficacy, or don’t feel the need to be vaccinated because they think Australia is relatively safe from the virus.

“We seem to be falling into a bit of a trap where we’re falling victim to our own success,” Dr South said. “(But) we can’t hide behind closed borders forever.

“With every passing month of people not wanting to be vaccinated, we’re making it harder and harder to open our borders for the hundreds of thousands of South Australians whose livelihoods depend on the travel and hospitality sectors.”

Dentists Ellie Hotinski and Andrew South with their four-week-old baby August, at home. Picture: Matt Loxton

Dr South and his wife Ellie Hotinski, also a dentist, welcomed their first child, August, to the world less than four weeks ago.

The couple are at heightened risk of contracting the coronavirus due to their work.

Dr Hotinski has already received her first dose of the Pfizer vaccine, and Dr South is booked in for his this week.

He said health agencies had confirmed the disease would become endemic, and the Government must better deliver the message that unless the country could achieve mass vaccination, citizens would remain “locked in our golden cage” unable to shed travel bans.

“It frustrates me to see the position Australia is headed towards, which is ongoing quarantine when you come in and out of the country,” he said.

“That builds an impossible task for the travel industry and regular Australians to ever resume travel or any semblance of what life used to be.”

Dr South said he didn’t think people understood that Australia had kept COVID-19’s impacts at bay because of its geography “but not due to the fact that we’re somehow invincible”.

– Michael Etheridge