Coronavirus Australia: Professor John Shine slams AstraZeneca vaccine myths

A world-renowned scientist has weighed into the debate around the vaccine, correcting a ‘significant misunderstanding’ about what it can do.

The AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is being rolled out across the world, including in Australia. (Photo by Dominic Lipinski / POOL / AFP)

One of Australia’s top scientists has hit back after “significant misunderstandings” about the effectiveness of AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine.

Professor John Shine is urging people to be aware of misinformation on social media and instead listen to advice from health departments, chief medical officers and scientists.

His message comes after experts, who spoke out about concerns the AstraZeneca vaccine would not achieve herd immunity, were hauled before a government education session following fears their comments were harming public confidence.

The Australian Academy of Science president said it was crucial the distinction be made between the vaccine’s effectiveness at protecting from severe disease and its effectiveness at stopping transmission.

“Vaccinated individuals will be protected from the worst of COVID-19 but will not be protected from becoming infected,” Professor Shine said.

“None of the vaccines that have been approved for use have demonstrated that they can stop transmission.”

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Professor John Shine is a world-renowned scientist and former chairman of biotechnology company CSL. Picture: John Feder/The Australian.

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Some infectious diseases experts joined calls to halt the vaccine rollout because they claimed that unlike the Pfizer vaccine, the AstraZeneca jab – which will be given to the majority of Australians – would not make most of the population immune to the infectious disease.

But Professor Shine said the primary goal of Australia’s vaccination strategy, which was supported by the academy, was to reduce the number of people getting very sick or dying.

He said both the AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines were equally effective at that, adding that Australia would benefit from growing data on vaccine doses and effectiveness as they are rolled out in countries with the greatest need.

“Australians should get vaccinated,” Professor Shine said.

“(They) can be confident that vaccines approved for use by the Therapeutic Goods Administration will be safe and effective.

“It will allow us to avoid a major wave of illness like that currently being experienced in the northern hemisphere.”

The federal government is now expected to include information about herd immunity in its public information campaign.

It is unclear if herd immunity will be achieved by any of the coronavirus vaccines because it is not known how long immunity from the jab will last.

The TGA is expected to approve the Pfizer vaccine by the end of January, with a rollout pencilled in for mid to late February for five million Australians in priority groups.

The AstraZeneca vaccine is expected to have completed the approval process in February and will then be rolled out to other Australians.