Why patients seeking vaccine exemptions from GPs are being knocked back

Geelong region GPs say patients refused vaccine exemptions are directing their anger at medicos, who are warning it is “exceedingly rare” for people to be unable to have any Covid jab.

Geelong region GPs say it is “exceedingly rare” for someone to be exempt from all Covid vaccines as anxious residents approach doctors seeking to avoid the jab.

Local GP and Western Victoria Primary Health Network clinical spokeswoman Anne Stephenson confirmed GPs across the region were seeing people seek medical exemptions for vaccination.

“It is very rare for people to have the necessary medical conditions for a medical exemption for all COVID-19 vaccines,” Dr Stephenson said.

“If you can’t have one vaccine, you should be able to have the other.

“Anxiety and vaccine hesitancy do not entitle individuals to a medical exemption.”

Dr Stephenson said most people seemed to be seeking exemptions because they have severe anxiety about the vaccine.

“The main source of this anxiety appears to be the vaccine misinformation circulating in some parts of the community and on social media,” she said.

“The people circulating this misinformation are putting people’s lives at risk, and we encourage everyone to see their GP if they have concerns about vaccination.

“The risk of contracting COVID-19 is much greater than any risk from vaccination, and unvaccinated people are at greatest risk of severe disease by contracting COVID-19.

“People in hospital and in intensive care are overwhelmingly unvaccinated.”

Banksia Medical Centre owner and Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Victoria deputy chairman Bernard Shiu said he had not seen many patients asking for exemptions.

GP Bernard Shiu. Picture: Alison Wynd

The Newcomb GP said over the last seven months no more than a dozen had approached him for an exemption.

“None of them got an exemption from me,” Dr Shiu said.

“I spent the time explaining pros and cons with them and most of them have now been vaccinated, I’ve been able to give them the reassurance.”

He said patients had done “research” online, coming across content that was “not exactly scientific” or evidence based.

Dr Shiu said people wanting exemptions were angry and disappointed and had been letting frustrations out on medicos.

“That puts us in a very difficult position,” he said.

Dr Shiu said it was exceedingly rare for someone to meet criteria to be exempt from all Covid vaccines.

He said GPs were able to leverage the trust they had built with patients to discuss how important it is to get vaccinated.

Originally published as Why patients seeking vaccine exemptions from GPs are being knocked back